ol 
 
 
 n7-t
 
 THE 
 
 POLITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHITRCH 
 
 IN THE UNITED STATES: 
 
 BEING 
 
 AN EXPOSURE 
 
 OF THE SPURIOUS ORIGIN OF METHODIST EPISCOPACY: THE TY- 
 RANNICAL NATURE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF 
 THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH : THE UNJUST AND DAN- 
 GEROUS CONTROL OF CHURCH PROPERTY BY THE CLERGY OF 
 
 THAT SECT : THE SUPERIOR PROVISION MADE FOR THEIR 
 
 TEMPORAL SUPPORT : THE MODE OF RAISING THEIR SUPPLIES : 
 
 THE MORAL MACHINERY OF METHODISM, ITS RELIGIOUS 
 
 CHARACTER, FRUITS, &C. &C. 
 
 BY REV. G/W. SIVSGRAVE, 
 
 Bishop of the Third Presbyterian Church of Baltimora. 
 
 " The opinion that it is dangerous to oppose fanaticism, lest we hinder the work of God, 
 is most unfounded." — Dr. .^iexander, page 301. 
 
 " Well, as they insist upon it, they shall have it :" — " and if, in exhibiting the proof, any 
 damage should be done to those who have so pertinaciously insisted upon its exhibition, on 
 them— nox on me — must rest the responsibility." — The jlvthor, pp. 17 and 18. 
 
 jBaltitnore : 
 
 PRINTED BY RICHARD J. MATCHETT. 
 1843.
 
 Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1843, by George 
 W. MusGRAVE, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United 
 States for the District of Maryland.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Origin of the woik, — Correspondence between " A Meihodist" and the 
 Author, — Remarks on the foregoing correspondence. — The spirit and 
 manner of the performance, «&c. &c. — pp. 9 — 25. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 Its dubious origin, — in all probability " surreptitiously" introduced. — If 
 understood in the prelatical sense, it is utterly spurious and invalid, — 
 if not regarded as prelatical, the manner in which it is spoken of is 
 supremely ridiculous.— The application of " Bishop" Coke to Bishop 
 White for re-ordination. — The validity of the Presbyterial ordination 
 of Methodist preachers. — The admissions of Bishop White relative to 
 the validity of Presbyterial ordinations. — According to the Scriptures 
 there is but one permanent order of ministers in the church of Christ, 
 —pp. 27—56.
 
 IV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 The government is anti-republican, because all the legislative and exec- 
 utive power is in the hands of their clergy — the laity have no represent- 
 ation in the General or Annual Conference, and of course have no 
 voice in ihe Government. — The discipline is tyrannical, because the 
 members are amenable to any rules and regulations which it may please 
 their clergy from time to time to agree upon — and because the usual 
 forms of law and justice are not constitutionally prescribed and secur- 
 ed in the (rial of church members, — such a system is, in its tendency, 
 dangerous to public liberty and the free institutions of the land. — The 
 truly republican character of the government and discipline of the 
 Presbyterian Church. — pp. 57 — 96. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CLERICAL CONTROL OF CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 The Methodist meeting houses and parsonages under the control of the 
 itinerant clergy. — Deed of settlement analyzed. — Unanimous opinion of 
 seven lawyers — and the decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 
 — The chartered fund and book concern also under the entire control of 
 the clergy. — Printed circular of 1842, showing the capital of the book 
 concern to be upwards of six hundred thousand dollars — Laymen ex- 
 pressly excluded from any share in ihe mamgement or appropriation of 
 these funds — Dangerous tendency of such proscription. — Testimony of 
 others on these subjects. — The system of iVIethodism in these respects 
 contrasted with Presbyterianism. — pp. 97 — 134.
 
 CONTENTS. T 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 Extracts from the Discipline. — the amount of their " annual allowance" 
 fixed by the Methodist clergy themselves. — Their salary greater than 
 that of the clergy of other denominations. — Probable average amount 
 of thesalary of a country circuit preacher, — of one stationed in a large 
 town or city.— Provisions made for the support of supernumerary and 
 superannuated preachers, — for the widows and orphans of deceased 
 clergymen.— The amount of the allowance of Methodist ministers 
 several times increased by themselves. — The testimony of others on 
 these subjects. — Competent and faithful ministers entitled to a liberal 
 support. — The salary of Presbyterian pastors regulated by the people. — 
 The average amount of their salary less than that of the Methodist 
 preachers. — No provision is made for disabled or worn out Presbyterian 
 ministers — nor for their widows and orphans. — pp. 135 — 190. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES, OR MODE OF RAISING SUPPLIES. 
 
 Class meetings. — Comparative cost of " free seats" and rented pews. — 
 Love feasts.— Special subscriptions and collections.— Book concern, 
 periodicals, &c.— The immense aggregate amount raised from great 
 numbers, by small, yet frequent contributions.— These methods con- 
 trasted with the system adopted by the Presbyterian Church.— pp. 
 191—208.
 
 VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM ITS MORAL MACHINERY RELIG- 
 IOUS CHARACTER AND FRUITS. 
 
 Importance of distinguishing between mere excitements and true revivals 
 of religion. — The illiterate character of Methodist preaching gener- 
 ally. — Their habitual and shameful misrepresentation of other Christ- 
 ian churches — their disparagement of the Christian character and 
 piety of other denominations. — Methods employed by Methodists in 
 collecting members into their church, and in proselyting from other 
 denominations — boasting of numbers — camp-meetings — protracted ser- 
 vices — enrolment of names — prejudicing serious and inquiring indi- 
 viduals against other denominations — tampering with the members of 
 other churches with a view to proselyte them to their sect — special 
 object of their camp-meetings and frequent Excitements to proselyte 
 from other churche!^. — The alleged efficiency of Methodist preachers 
 compared with the fruits of Presbyterian ministers. — Effects of Meth- 
 odism — in lowering the standard of qualification for the Gospel minis- 
 try — the little value they place upon Christian instruction — the per- 
 verted taste which Methodism creates for hearing the word of God — 
 the improper notions it begets in regard to divine truth — its unhappy 
 effects upon the world. — Illustrations of the amazing credulity and 
 gross fanaticism of Methodism. — pp. 209—270. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 NEW MEASURES FOR PROMOTING REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 
 
 Extracts from an able article in the Princeton Repertory on the moral 
 machinery or new measures of certain modern "revivalists," so called,
 
 CONTENTS. VU 
 
 in which the true character of such excitemenls, and the means by 
 which they are manufactured, are exposed. — Letters of the Rev. Drs. 
 Alexander and Miller, Professors in the Theological Seminary at 
 Princeton, on the subject of revivals and revival measures. — The great 
 importance of genuine revivals of religion, and the necessity of greater 
 diligence, on the part of orthodox Christians, in the use of God's ap- 
 pointed means, for their promotion. — pp. 271 — 326. 
 
 CONCLUSION.
 
 THE POLITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 For many years, and without the slightest provocation, 
 " The General Tract Society of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church," under the care and control of the General Confer- 
 ence, have been issuing hostile and offensive publications 
 against the Presbyterian Church — assailing not only her doc- 
 trines, but endeavouring to destroy the character and influ- 
 ence of her ministry and people. In addition to the exten- 
 sive circulation of these tracts, incessant efforts have been 
 made, both from the pulpit and from house to house, to mis- 
 represent the Presbyterian church, and to prejudice the com- 
 munity against us. Yea, even the members of our flocks 
 have been tampered with, and various dishonourable means 
 employed to seduce them from the church of their fathers. 
 All this was patiently borne, from an extreme reluctance to 
 have any controversy with our neighbours; until one of their 
 controversial tracts, on the subject of election, was left, on 
 a sabbath morning, at my private residence ! This I could 
 not but consider as a personal insult, and as an impudent 
 challenge to a defence of the doctrine as held by our church. 
 
 Accordingly, on the same day, I informed my people of 
 what had taken place, and announced my determination to 
 commence, on the following sabbath, an exposition and vin- 
 2
 
 10 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 dication of our belief on tlie subject of the Divine decrees. 
 On that day, and the sabbath succeeding, the two lectures 
 were delivered, which, at the request of the congregation, 
 have since been published.* In those lectures, I confined 
 myself, almost exclusively, to a defence of the doctrine as 
 held by the Presbyterian Church, and barely alluded to, what 
 we consider, the errors of the Methodist Episcopal Church; 
 referring, in a note, for proof and fuller information, to a 
 work entitled " The Difficulties of Arminian Methodism." 
 Exception, however, was taken to one or two expressions, 
 contained in the lectures, on the subjects of clerical control 
 of church property, and ministerial support, by a writer in 
 the " Clipper," and the charges implied flatly denied — with- 
 out naming the author to whom I had referred in proof. 
 Still desirous of avoiding an offensive controversy wnth that 
 denomination, I replied through the same channel; and 
 having furnished the public with the reference which he 
 had omitted, I was disposed to leave the whole matter to 
 their examination and decision. His first card, and my 
 answer, were as follow: 
 
 " To THE Editors of the Baltimore Clipper, 
 
 " Gentlemen — In a pamphlet, entitled a 'Brief Exposition 
 and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Divine Decrees.' &c., 
 by Rev. G. W. Musgrave, Bishop of the Third Presbyterian 
 Church of Baltimore, I have noticed the following passage 
 in reference to Methodism. ' The government and discip- 
 line of that sect are anti-republican and tyrannical — the en- 
 tire control of all church property by their clergy, is both 
 
 * An edition of these lectures has been more recently issued at Philad- 
 elphia, by " The Presbyterian Board of Publication;" and copies may be 
 had, in this city, at the store of the Presbyterian Tract Society.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 11 
 
 unjust to the people who contribute the funds, and dangerous 
 in its tendency to public liberty.' (Page 38.) 
 
 " My object in calling attention to this passage, is to cor- 
 rect an error which seems unaccountably to prevail, about 
 the control of Methodist church property. You will per- 
 haps be surprised to learn that the clergy of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church do not own a church or a parsonage in 
 the United States — and that the acknowledged pastor of a 
 Methodist Church cannot take up a collection in it, or even 
 invite any other than a Methodist preacher to preach in it, 
 without the assent of the trustees. You will also be sur- 
 prised to learn, that the Methodist Churches in this city be- 
 long to a corporation consisting of all the male members 
 above the age of twenty-one years. The preachers have no 
 control over the current funds of the church. The means of 
 ministerial support are raised by weekly contributions in class 
 meetings. These are received by the leaders, who are all lay- 
 men, and by them paid over to the stewards, who are laymen. 
 When a preacher is sent by the bishop to a particular sta- 
 tion, he is met by a committee of laymen appointed by lay- 
 men, who inquire into the probable wants of his family, and 
 fix the amount of his salary. The preacher has no right to 
 stipulate for compensation. He must take what is offered 
 him, and should the stewards not be able to pay what they 
 promised, (which unfortunately often happens,) by an ex- 
 press article of the discipline, it is provided that t'he church 
 shall not be accountable for the deficiency, as in case of debt. 
 " On the other hand, if a preacher be sent to a station, 
 and the stewards, sustained by the membership, refuse to 
 make any provision for him, he has no means of obtaining 
 a cent. 
 
 " The only church property controlled by the clergy, be- 
 sides an inconsiderable fund in Philadelphia, is the book es-
 
 12 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tablishment in New York. This establishment is a benevO' 
 lent one^ being instituted with a view to the assistance of 
 the worn-out preachers, and the widows and orphans of 
 such as die in the ministry. To this end, with the ex- 
 ception of so much as is required for the salaries of the 
 bishops, the profits of the concern are devoted; and when 
 you learn that these profits are divided between thirty-three 
 Annual Conferences, and by them subdivided for the relief of 
 necessitous cases, you will, I trust, dismiss any apprehen- 
 sion that the liberties of the country are in danger from this 
 source. 
 
 " With regard to the Rev. Mr. Musgrave's opinion of 
 Methodism or Methodists, I have nothing to say. I believe 
 that he is entirely honest both in the entertainment and 
 avowal of his sentiments upon this subject. Mr. Musgrave 
 is an able, pious and useful man; and I would be sorry, even 
 by a defence of what is as dear to me as my own life, to 
 draw him into a controversy which would divert hira from 
 the nobler work of an evangelist. I prefer to wait until a 
 better acquaintance with the people he thinks so badly of 
 shall correct the erroneous opinions he has hastily formed 
 about them. 
 
 " As to the error which I have taken the liberty to correct, 
 I have no doubt that Mr. Musgrave has fallen into it by plac- 
 ing too much confidence in the statements of a writer, whose 
 book is entirely unworthy a place in a clergyman's library." 
 
 " A Methodist." 
 
 July 29thy 1842. 
 
 " To the Editors of the Clipper. 
 
 " Gentlemen: — A friend has called ray attention to an ar- 
 ticle, published in your paper of Friday last, and signed 'A 
 Methodist.'
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 13 
 
 " If the respected writer had named the author to whom I 
 referred in support of the statements to which he takes ax- 
 ception, so that the public might be able to examine the offi- 
 cial and documentary proofs upon which they rest, I should 
 not have thought it necessary to reply. But as he has not 
 done this, and as many who may read his article may not 
 read the pamphlet, I judge it expedient to state, through 
 your columns, that the proof of what I had briefly alluded 
 to in my lectures, can be seen in a work entitled 'The Diffi- 
 culties of Arminian Methodism,' letters 7th and 8th — and 
 which can be had at the bookstore of Owen & Son's, Mar- 
 ket street, a few doors east of Gay street. The respecta- 
 bility of that author, and the credibility of his work are not 
 to be destroyed by a dash of the pen, especially when recom- 
 mended by such men as the venerable Drs. Alexander and 
 Elliott; — and besides, his statements are substantiated by 
 the 'Book of Discipline,' and other authorities, which are 
 decisive. 
 
 " I sincerely reciprocate the respectful and kind feelings 
 of 'A Methodist;' and if all of that sect would manifest the 
 same charitable feelings towards Presbyterians, and desist 
 from their unprovoked assaults upon our church, we should 
 have no occasion to say anything, in self-defence, that could 
 wound their feelings, or interrupt our mutual intercourse and 
 Christian fellowship." " G.W. Musgrave." 
 
 August 1. 
 
 Contrary to my expectation and wishes, the writer pub- 
 lished a second article in the Clipper, thus: 
 
 " To THE Editors of the Clipper. 
 
 " The Rev. Mr. Musgrave's card is very unsatisfactory. 
 In the common walks of life, nothing justifies a man in hold-
 
 14 INTRODUCrrON. 
 
 ing up another to public odium, unless the accuser has taken 
 all possible pains to acquaint himself with the facts in 
 question, and is prepared to sustain the accusation by the 
 facts. If such caution be required in the ordinary affairs of 
 life, it cannot be dispensed with when a clergyman avails 
 himself of the authority of the sacred desk to arraign a large 
 number of respectable people before the bar of "public opinion 
 as enemies of the commonwealth. Mr. Musgrave has vol- 
 unteered to accuse the Methodist Episcopal Church of cer- 
 tain things, the very mention of which, is calculated to 
 create distrust and hatred towards the preachers and people 
 of that denomination, and when opportunity is given him to 
 sustain his charges, it will not do to refer to another man, 
 and cast the responsibility upon him. We do not choose to 
 take Mr. Annan as Mr. Musgrave's substitute. By endors- 
 ing the assertions of Mr. Annan, Mr. Musgrave has deli- 
 berately made himself responsible for the truth of them. It 
 is with us to choose with whom the issue shall be made, and 
 we choose the endorser rather than the draw^er, for the rea- 
 son that Mr. Musgrave's is by far the more respectable and 
 influential name. 
 
 " There are various reasons why no man who values his 
 own respectability ought to put himself into an^ antagonist 
 position to Mr. Annan or his book. To all who know any 
 thing about the economy of Methodism,' the following ex- 
 tract from the 'Difficulties' will be sufficient warrant for this 
 opinion. 'Preachers pass the revenue laws — preachers col- 
 lect the tax — preachers meet in secret conclave and divide 
 the spoil — in other words, fix the amount of their own salary, 
 and allow themselves the sums, they in their wisdom, may 
 consider lawfully due for their important services — but no 
 eye or hand of a layman must presume to interfere in these 
 transactions.' (Page 297.)
 
 INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 " It would be hard to find in any apocryphal writing more 
 untruths in so few lines. To have been able thus to econo- 
 mize w^ords in such a profusion of misstatements, argues a 
 natural ability for misconception, and an amount of expe- 
 rience in slander, which is as curious as it is rare. It would 
 be as wise to controvert Baron Munchausen as Rev. Mr. 
 Annan. 
 
 " But Mr. Musgrave appeals to the 'Discipline.' It is 
 much to be regretted that he did not quote the passages 
 which he has so egregiously misinterpreted, for I cannot find 
 any that could be easily misunderstood. 
 
 " The Discipline certainly does /20^ sustain Mr. Musgrave. 
 It distinctly recognizes that all contributions for the support 
 of the gospel shall be voluntary — no man is taxed. Some 
 give much, many give a little, and many more give nothing; 
 every man doing as he sees fit — the Discipline merely ' re- 
 commends,' that collections be taken up for this purpose. 
 Again, the Discipline directs the money to be paid, not to 
 the preacher, but to certain laymen, called stewards — who 
 are responsible, not to the preacher, but to the Quarterly 
 Meeting Conference, essentially a lay body, ' which shall 
 have power to dismiss or change them at pleasure.' 
 
 " With regard to the salary of the preacher, the amount 
 allowed for their house, furniture, and table expenses, if 
 they have families, or for their board, if they have not, is es- 
 timated by a committee of laymen, as I before stated. The 
 only amount named by the Discipline, in connexion with a 
 preacher's support, is, that each preacher shall be allowed 
 annually 100 dollars, if single; and 200 if married; together 
 with an allowance of 16 dollars for every child under seven, 
 and 24 for all between the age of seven and fourteen years. 
 This regulation is obligatory upon one side only. It pre- 
 vents the preachers from receiving more, but does not re-
 
 16 INTUODUCTION. 
 
 quire the people to pay so much. The necessity for naming 
 a sum, arises from this, that all the overplus of funds raised 
 by one circuit may go to lessen the deficiency of another — of 
 course, there must be some standard by which this over- 
 plus and deficiency may be regulated. Again, unless there 
 was some nominal allowance of this kind, the funds raised 
 to eke out deficiencies could not be fairly distributed, as it 
 would be impossible to make an equitable dividend to claim- 
 ants. There must be an allowance before deficiency can be 
 made apparent. (Sec. in. and iv.) 
 
 '' As to the church property, the Discipline recommends 
 a deed of settlement, (page 161) in which the property is 
 conveyed to trustees 'for the use of the members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal church.' The only right reserved to 
 the preachers, is the right to preach in the church when 
 regularly appointed to do so. Less than this could not se- 
 cure the property for the use of the members of the church, 
 as otherwise the trustees might shut out the Methodist 
 preachers and give up the church to our friend Mr. Mus- 
 grave, or somebody else, who might preach very disagreea- 
 ble doctrines. 
 
 " The preacher has the power of nominating trustees in 
 case of vacancy. This has been said to give him control 
 over them. If so, the President of the United States, by 
 and with the advice and consent of the senate, controls the 
 judiciary of this country, as he nominates the judges of the 
 supreme court. The security of the judiciary is, that the 
 judges are not responsible to or removable by the presi- 
 dent. And so with us, the stewards and trustees are neither 
 responsible to nor removable by the preacher. In fact, but 
 few of our churches are held under this deed of settlement. 
 In this city the trustees fill their own vacancies, and in most 
 of the eastern conferences the trustees are elected by the 
 membership.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 " The Methodists of this city now wait for whatever evi- 
 dence Mr. Musgrave may adduce in substantiation of his 
 charges. He must make good his assertions, or frankly ac- 
 knowledge his mistake, unless he would abide under the im- 
 putation of 'bearing false witness against his neighbour.' " 
 
 August 3. " A Methodist." 
 
 In reply to the above, I issued the following: — 
 "A Card. 
 
 " Since my return to the city, I have seen the second arti- 
 cle, signed ' A Methodist.' I had hoped that the reference 
 which I gave, in reply to the first article, would have been 
 sufficient, as I did not wish to be forced into an offensive 
 controversy with that denomination. It appears, however, 
 that my card was ' very unsatisfactory,' and that the Method- 
 ists are ' waiting' for the proof of what I had briefly al- 
 luded to in my recent lectures. 
 
 " Well, as they insist upon it, they shall have it. I will 
 not, however, confine myself to the single points excepted 
 to by * A Methodist,' but shall take the liberty of discussing 
 the general subject of the government and discipline of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church; and as soon as my pastoral 
 and other engagements will allow, I will publish, in pam- 
 phlet form, the results of my examination.* In the mean 
 time, I may be permitted to say, that I am fully convinced 
 
 *In consequence of previous engagements, a considerable period elapsed 
 before I could find lime to devote to this work. I then prepared a short 
 pamphlet, agreeably to my original intention; but, on further reflection, 
 and at the instance of some, for whom I have the highest respect, I re- 
 solved to publish a more full and extended exposure of the whole subject. 
 This will account for the delay in the publication, as well as for the form 
 in which it appears. 
 3
 
 18 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of the truth of all that I have stated, notwithstanding what 
 has been written by ' A Methodist,' and will, in due time, 
 exhibit ihe proof to the satisfaction of the public." 
 
 August 10. " G. W. MUSGRAVE." 
 
 Having thus given a brief sketch of the circumstances 
 under which I have been forced, contrary to my inclination, 
 to this painful task, I will now proceed to redeem the pledge 
 which was thus extorted from me: and after having done 
 this, the public may judge, whether my reluctance to enter 
 upon it has proceeded from any want of confidence in my 
 ability to substantiate the facts to which I had only briefly 
 alluded in my lectures, or from a sincere desire to avoid all 
 unnecessary exposure of the errors and faults of a Christian 
 denomination. Even in this compulsory performance, it is 
 my purpose to say no more than is, in my judgment, indis- 
 pensible, to protect myself against the public threat of dis- 
 honor and falsehood! — and if, in exhibiting the proof, any 
 damage should be done to those who have so pertinaciously 
 insisted upon its exhibition, on tliem^ not on me, must rest 
 the responsibility. 
 
 Before I proceed, however, the reader will indulge me 
 with a few remarks. 
 
 The author of the work entitled " The Difficulties of 
 Arminian Methodism," has been spoken of, by " A Method- 
 ist," with the greatest contempt, and his book denounced 
 as unworthy cf credit. This is a very easy and convenient 
 method of getting rid of testimony which is too conclusive 
 to be disproved! and if every party accused were allowed 
 thus to decide upon the character and credibility of witnesses 
 brought to testify against them, their acquittal would indeed 
 be certain and triumphant! But whatever may be the pecu- 
 liarities of '•^medical jurisprudence," it is beheved that, in
 
 INTRODUCTION. 19 
 
 avery other department of law and justice, the court, or jury, 
 — and not the accused, — determine the competency and cre- 
 dibility of witnesses: and in this case, the public, — and not 
 "A Methodist," — must decide. In referring to the Rev. Mr. 
 Annan's work, I was not so immodest as to insist upon the 
 sufficiency of my endorsement, against the protest of so dis- 
 tinguished a personage as ■ ', alias " A Methodist;" 
 
 — but I did venture to think that, notwithstanding his 
 opinion, the recommendation of such men as the venera- 
 ble Drs. Alexander and Elliott, would be regarded by the 
 public as ample security for the respectability and credi- 
 bility of the witness. The truth is, such an expression of 
 contempt, by "A Methodist," of the character and work of 
 a gentleman so recommended, could only excite a smile, 
 were it not so disgustingly unbecoming and reprehensible. 
 I desire to excuse, as far as possible — for no doubt the able 
 work of Mr. Annan has greatly disturbed their equanimity 
 and self-complacency — but such expressions of contempt of 
 the character of a minister of the gospel, who has been con- 
 victed of no crime, is highly offensive, and deserves to be 
 gravely and pointedly rebuketl. But while I have felt it to 
 be due to an absent gentleman to say thus much in vindica- 
 tion of his reputation — and now re-affirm that I have the 
 utmost confidence in the truth of the general statements con- 
 tained in his book — I wish it to be distinctly understood, 
 that I am riot dependent upon his testimony for the proof of 
 what I referred to in my lectures. — They can be fully estab- 
 lished by other writers, and by authorities entirely independ- 
 ent, as will presently ajipear. 
 
 The attempt of "A Methodist" to represent me as the 
 aggressor is futile. The truth is, I had repeatedly heard of 
 the gross and vulgar caricatures of the doctrines of the Pres- 
 byterian Church by one and another of the Methodist clergy,
 
 20 INTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 and had often been informed of (lie misrepresentations which 
 had been privately made by many members of that sect 
 with a view to disaffect the people of my charge against my 
 ministry and the denomination to which they are attached, 
 and yet, until the tract to which I have previously referred 
 had been left at my private dwelling, I had never, in the 
 whole course of my pastoral life, preached a single contro- 
 versial discourse on the doctrine of Divine decrees. And 
 the lectures which I then delivered were almost exclusively 
 defensive, and contain only a few brief allusions to the polity, 
 &c., of the Methodist Episcopal Church. How justly might 
 I therefore retort on many of the preachers and members of 
 that sect, who have been engaged for years, both in public 
 and in private — from the pulpit and the press — and from 
 house to house, in endeavouring not only to render our senti- 
 ments abhorrent, but to make even our persons and character 
 odious? What a pity that those who seem to be so sensitive, 
 when the slightest allusion is made to their doctrines and poli- 
 ty, and that, too, under circumstances so provoking — should 
 appear to have so little regard for the reputation and feelings 
 of others, quite as "respectable," if not as numerous as 
 themselves; and that they should, in their violent and un- 
 provoked attacks upon their neighbours, remain apparently 
 so insensible to their own responsibilities ! 
 
 The quotation from the work of Mr. Annan, in connexion 
 with the regret expressed by "A Methodist," that I had 
 not cited the passages from the Discipline, which prove the 
 statements of Mr. Annan, is about as candid as his attempt 
 to represent me as having been the unprovoked assailant of 
 the Methodist Church. Where, had I " appealed to the Dis- 
 cipline" in proof of the particular statements and expres- 
 sions contained in that quotation? Besides, did he verily 
 believe, that Mr. Annan used the word " tax" in the sense
 
 INTRODUCTION. 21 
 
 in which he represents him as having em[)loyod it? Or was 
 he ignorant of the fact, that, at tlie time Mr. Annan wrolc, the 
 sessions of the General Conference (which is composed of 
 clergymen exclusively,) were secret, and that it has only 
 been within a few years past that any laymen arc permitted 
 to be present as spectators? But after all his affected con- 
 tempt of the credibility of Mr. Annan, and his regret 
 that I had -not cited the Discipline in proof of the st;ifc- 
 ments contained in that quotation, the very next sentence of 
 Mr. Annan, reads thus: — "In proof of these statements, we 
 refer to the Discipline, (pp. 167—172.)"!!! It is almost 
 incredible, but it is even so, as any one may see, by referring 
 to Mr. Annan's work, p. 297. Now, how are we to account 
 for this? How" could any one thus stop short with a quota- 
 tion, and express his regret that no reference had been giveji, 
 when in fact, the reference was before his eyes in the very 
 next sentence to that which he has quoted! — And not only 
 so, but in the same breath to denounce a minister of the 
 gospel as unworthy of credit — yea, as an unparalleled falsi- 
 fyer and slanderer !!! Nor is this the only instance, I am 
 sorry to say, in that short article, in which a quotation is ab- 
 ruptly terminated: — there is another, the remainder of which, 
 had it been given, would have proven the very contrary of 
 what the part was produced to establish ! This latter in- 
 stance I shall have occasion to expose when treating of the 
 subject to which it refers, and shall therefore, for the present, 
 pass it by. 
 
 Besides these, there are several things contained in the 
 articles of " A Methodist," on which I should animadvert, 
 if it were ray intention to enter upon a personal controversy. 
 But I have no such design. I will not, therefore, take any 
 further notice of him; and shall only advert to what he has 
 stated, when such advertence would serve to elucidate the
 
 22 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 subjects on which I propose to write. His public demand 
 for the proof of what I had alluded to in my lectures, has 
 indeed been the occasion of my writing; but I shall use 
 the occasion, not merely for the purpose of furnishing the 
 evidence called for, but also for the purpose of discussing 
 the whole subject — so far at least, as it shall appear to me to 
 be desirable. 
 
 It may be proper also to remark, that it is not my inten- 
 tion in the exposure which I shall make of the errors and 
 evils of Methodism, to [disparage what is really true and 
 good in that system. I cheerfully admit that there is much 
 in it that is excellent; and as far as it is so, it has my cor- 
 dial commendation and hearty good wishes. But that there 
 is likewise much, very much that is false and evil, I am fully 
 persuaded — and many of these errors and evils I shall freely 
 expose. Nor is it my intention to involve all the clergy and 
 members of that sect in many of the things on which I shall 
 feel it to be my duty to animadvert. I have no doubt but 
 that many of them disapprove of much of the spirit and 
 conduct of others connected with them; and they should not 
 therefore be held responsible for what they do not them- 
 selves sanction or practice. I have no doubt but that ihere 
 are many truly pious and useful men, both among their clergy 
 and laity; and I protest, in advance, against being consider- 
 ed as including such in some of the strictures which I shall 
 make upon that denomination in general. I have no desire 
 to deal in indiscriminate censure, and shall endeavour, in the 
 progress of the discussion, duly to qualify my reflections; but 
 if, in any case, I should inadvertently omit such qualification, 
 I beg the reader to recollect the admissions and acknow- 
 ledgments just made, and to supply the omission himself. 
 
 As to the spirit and manner of the performance, I will 
 only say, that I shall endeavour to avoid all bitterness and
 
 INTRODUCTION. 23 
 
 undue severity of language: — But this shall not prevent me 
 from writing with that freedom and plainness which the due 
 exposure of such errors and evils require. Some expres- 
 sions of the witnesses whom I shall cite, I could wish had 
 been a little more gentle; but I must not be regarded as ap- 
 proving of any thing that is unduly severe in the language 
 of their testimony. I shall cite them in proof of certain 
 facts, and to show what their opinions are in reference to 
 certain matters; and, of course, I shall be obliged to let 
 them speak in their own words, for which they alone should 
 be considered as responsible. And it may not be amiss to 
 add, as some men appear to have singular notions of the 
 kind and degree of responsibility involved in a reference to 
 an author in support of specified and general propositions, 
 that in the extended quotations which J shall make from 
 other writers, I hold myself responsible only for the truth 
 of the positions, in the support of which, they are avowedly 
 made, and for the intelligence and respectability of the wri- 
 ters themselves. Of some of the facts stated by them, I 
 can have no personal knowledge, and their opinions on the 
 subjects of which they treat, must rest upon their individual 
 authority. All that any reasonable man can require, is, that 
 the witnesses produced, shall be gentlemen of intelligence 
 and probity, and entitled to the confidence of the reader. 
 Some of them are well known, and have been highly distin- 
 guished — most of their statements are corroborated by offi- 
 cial and documentary references — and those which rest upon 
 their own observation or authority, the reader will receive 
 with as much deference as, in his judgment, they are fairly 
 entitled to. 
 
 The paragraph contained in my lectures, page 38, to 
 which exception has been taken, is as follows: — " With re- 
 gard to the GOVERNMENT and discipline of those who have
 
 24 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 SO violently and wantonly assailed our church, it would be 
 easy to show, — that the origin of Methodist Episcopacy is 
 perfectly ludicrous; — that the government and discipline of 
 that sect are anti-republican and tyrannical; — that the 
 entire control of all church property by their clergy, 
 amounting, as it does, to hundreds of thousands of dollars, 
 and annually increasing, is both unjust to the people who 
 contribute the funds, and dangerous in its tendency to 
 PUBLIC liberty; — and that, notwithstanding their ungen- 
 erous and invidious comparisons, they are, indirectly, hut 
 substantially and really better provided for, as to tem- 
 poralities, than the clergy of other Christian denomina- 
 tions." 
 
 Why the proof of the statements contained in the forego- 
 ing paragraph should have been so pertinaciously insisted on, 
 it is difficult to say — unless the gentle and deprecatory style 
 of my fust card should have made the impression, that no 
 taunt, however provoking — no threat, however insulting, 
 could induce me to enter into a public discussion. It is true 
 that I have never before allowed myself to be turned aside 
 from my pastoral work to engage in an offensive controversy 
 with any sect; and I would gladly have been excused, as I 
 virtually begged to be, in the present instance. And I felt 
 the greater reluctance to enter upon this task, because the 
 government and discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church had been discussed, not many years since, in this 
 city, to a very considerable extent, and with much ability, by 
 the Methodist Reformers; — and because most of the material 
 facts in the case, had been, by them, and other writers, pre- 
 sented to the public. However, as no alternative was left 
 me but to republish the proof, or submit to the imputation of 
 falsehood and slander, I could not but determine to re-pro- 
 duce the challenged evidence. But, notwithstanding, there
 
 INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 will be some advantages in the present work: — The subject 
 will be again brought to the notice of the community, and 
 the testimony which is now scattered through various pub- 
 lications, will be brought together, and made more accessi- 
 ble to the generality of readers. Besides, the Reformers 
 confined their examination chiefly to those principles of the 
 government and discipline of their church which militated 
 against their rights as local preachers, and left untouched 
 many other matters connected with *' practical Methodism," 
 which are highly interesting and important. — On these latter 
 subjects, I have collected what I thought valuable in the 
 writings of others — which will, in my judgment, greatly add 
 to the interest and utility of the whole. 
 
 With these prefatory remarks, I will now proceed to offer 
 the required proof upon each of the topics embraced in the 
 paragraph above, quoted from my lectures, and in the order 
 in which they are stated: and having done this, I shall add 
 a chapter or two, as I have already intimated, on some other 
 matters connected with the system of Methodism, which I 
 trust will not be either " unsatisfactory" or unprofitable to 
 the reader.
 
 CHAPTEB. I. 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 Its dubious origin, — in all probability "surreptitiously" introduced. — If 
 understood in the prelatical sense, it is utterly spurious and invalid, — if 
 not regarded as prelatical, the manner in which it ts spoken of is su- 
 premely ridiculous. — The application of "Bishop" Coke to Bishop 
 White for re-ordination. — The validity of the Presbyterial ordination 
 of Methodist preachers. — The admissions of Bishop White relative to 
 the validity of Presbyterial ordinations. — According to the Scriptures 
 there is but one permanent order of ministers in the church of Christ- 
 
 The origin of Methodist Episcopacy is thus stated in 
 <' The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church," chapter I., section 1, viz: — "The preachers and 
 members of our society in general, being convinced that 
 there was a great deficiency of vital religion in the Church 
 of England in America, and being in many places destitute 
 of the Christian sacraments, as several of the clergy had for- 
 saken their churches, requested the late Rev. John Wesley 
 to take such measures, in his wisdom and prudence, as 
 would afford them suitable relief in their distress. 
 
 " In consequence of this, our venerable friend, who, un- 
 der God, had been the father of the great revival of religion 
 now extending over the earth, by the means of the Method- 
 ists, determined to ordain ministers for America; and for this 
 purpose, in the year 1784, sent over three regularly ordain- 
 ed clergy: but preferring the Episcopal mode of church gov- 
 ernment to any other, he solemnly set apart, by the imposi-
 
 28 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 tion of his hands and prayer, one of them, viz., Thomas Coke, 
 doctor of civil law, late of Jesus College, in the University 
 of Oxford, and a presbyter of the Church of England, for 
 the episcopal office; and having delivered to him letters of 
 episcopal orders, commissioned and directed him to set apart 
 Francis jisbury, then general assistant of the Methodist So- 
 ciety in America, for the same episcopal office; he, the said 
 Francis Ashury^ being first ordained deacon and elder. In 
 consequence of which, the said Francis Jishury was solemnly 
 set apart for the said episcopal office by prayer, and the im- 
 position of the hands of the said Thomas Coke, other regu- 
 larly ordained ministers assisting in the sacred ceremony. 
 At which time the General Conference, held at Baltimore, did 
 unanimously receive the said Thomas Coke and Francis As- 
 hury as their bishops, being fully satisfied of the validity of 
 their episcopal ordination."* 
 
 As the origin of Methodist Episcopacy is thus officially 
 ascribed to the preference of the Rev. John Wesley for the 
 episcopal mode of church goverment, and he is represented 
 as having ordained Dr. Coke a bishop, &c., it is a matter of 
 interest with Methodists, whether Mr. Wesley ever did 
 what is thus attributed to him? Certainly, as their episcopal 
 form of government is thus made to rest — not on scripture, 
 nor even expediency — but on the authority of their " venera- 
 ble friend," it is proper that the proof of his having preferred 
 such a form of government, and of his having actually 
 ordained Dr. Coke a bishop, should be produced. 
 
 The Rev. Alexander McCaine, who was for more than 
 thirty years a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 declares in his " History and Mystery of Methodist Episco- 
 
 * The edition of the Discipline used by me in this work is that of 1842 
 — in cases where different editions are referred to, by others, the reader 
 shall be apprized of it.
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 29 
 
 pacy," page 8, that, " after searching for it for thirty-five 
 years, we are no nearer the discovery now than we were 
 when we commenced tlie search. No such ' counsel' is 
 given by Mr. Wesley in his letter to Dr. Coke, nor in that 
 which he addressed to ' Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and our breth- 
 ren in North America.' So far from this 'counsel' being 
 contained in those official papers, the term ' episcopaV is not 
 to be found in either of them. Nor is there any expres- 
 sion, coming from Mr. Wesley's pen, which we have ever 
 seen, in those papers, or elsewhere, that would justify 
 us in saying, he ' recommended ' the episcopal form of 
 church government to the Methodist societies in the Unit- 
 ed States." 
 
 Mr. McCaine further states in his preface, that, previous 
 to the publication of his History, he addressed a letter of in- 
 quiry to each of the Methodist bishops, " but from neither 
 of them, has he received one word in reply. Failing to ob- 
 tain information from this quarter, he addressed a letter to 
 each of six of the oldest preachers in the connexion, men who 
 were in the General Conference of 1784. And from the 
 answers he has received from them, collated with other 
 documents, he is fully established in the opinion that there 
 never was a document, letter or paper received from Mr. 
 Wesley, in which he recommended the episcopal mode of 
 church government, to the American Methodists." 
 
 This opinion of the unauthorized use of Mr. Wesley's 
 name in the introduction of the Methodist episcopacy, is 
 greatly strengthened by the fact, that the letter of Mr. Wes- 
 ley, upon which the account contained in their Book of Dis- 
 cipline of the origin of their episcopacy is founded, con- 
 tains no such w^arrant. In that letter, Mr. Wesley says, — 
 " I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francis 
 Asbury, to be joint superintendents^ over our brethren in North 
 America." 'I'his letter is published in extenso in Mr. Mc-
 
 30 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 Caine's " History and Mystery," pp. 12 and 13, — and al- 
 so, in Lee's " Short History of the Methodists," pp. 91 — 
 3; and if any one will compare it with the statement pub- 
 lished in the Book of Discipline, they will see how great a 
 disagreement there is between them. After placing both 
 these documents before his readers, Mr. McCaine thus 
 writes, — "The one was written by somebody, we know not 
 by whom, for it has no name affixed to it, and has found its 
 way into our Book of Discipline. The other was written by 
 Mr. Wesley, himself, and bears his signature. The former 
 was wiitten several years after the adoption of the present 
 form of government, which event took place in 1784; and it 
 speaks of Mr. Wesley as ' the late Rev. John Wesley,' who 
 died in 1791. The latter is dated ' Bristol, Sept. 10, 1784,' 
 and is given (we repeat it) as the sole authority for our epis- 
 copal mode of church government. Between the former and 
 the latter, there is manifestly a great disagreement. In the 
 former, the term, 'episcopal' occurs six times, and the word 
 'bishops' once. In the latter, neither episcopal' nor 'bishop,' 
 in their application to our church, is to be found at all. We 
 are at a loss to conceive, how it could have been said, that 
 * Mr. Wesley recommended the episcopal mode of church 
 government,' when there is not, in this letter, a single word 
 recommendatory of it, from beginning to end." — History 
 and Mystery, p. 13. 
 
 Not only is there no evidence in the letter of Mr. Wes- 
 ley, appointing Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury "joint superin- 
 tendents," that he recommended the episcopal mode of 
 church government, or intended to invest them with " the 
 episcopal office," but there is very strong and decisive proof 
 that he utterly disapproved and severely reprehended the 
 episcopal assumption of those gentlemen. What could be 
 more conclusive than the following letter, addressed to Mr. 
 Asbury, after his assumption of the title of bishop?
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 31 
 
 " London, Sept. 20th, 1788. 
 
 " There is, indeed, a wide difference between the relation 
 wherein you stand to the Americans, and the relation where- 
 in I stand to all the Methodists. You are the elder brother 
 of the American Methodists; I am, under God, the father of 
 the whole family. Therefore, I naturally care for you all, 
 in a manner no other person can do. Therefore, I, in a 
 measure, provide for you all; for the supplies which Dr. 
 Coke provides for you, he could not provide, were it not for 
 me — were it not, that I not only permit him to collect, but 
 also support him in so doing. 
 
 " But in one point, my dear brother, I am a little afraid 
 both the Doctor and you differ from me. I study to be lit- 
 tle, you study to be great; I creep, you strut along. I found 
 a school, you a college. Nay, and call it after your own 
 names ! O, beware ! Do not seek to be something ! Let 
 me be nothing, and Christ be all in all. 
 
 " One instance of this, of your greatness, has given rae 
 great concern. How can you, how dare you suffer yourself 
 to be called a bishop? I shudder, I start at the very thought. 
 Men may call me a knave, or a /"ool, a rascal, a scoundrel, 
 and I am content; but they shall never, by my consent, call 
 me a bishop! For my sake, for God's sake, for Christ's 
 sake, put a full end to this! Let the Presbyterians do what 
 they please, but let the Methodists know their calling better. 
 
 " Thus, my dear Franky, I have told you all that is in my 
 heart, and let this, when I am no more seen, bear witness 
 how sincerely 
 
 I am your affectionate friend and brother, 
 
 John Wesley."* 
 
 ' Wcbley's Works, vol. VIL, pp. 187 and 8, New York Ed., 1835-
 
 32 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 Such language would seem to be too explicit and empha- 
 tic, to admit of any false construction; and yet, the Rev. 
 Dr. John Emory, late one of the bishops of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, in his " Defence of Our Fathers," sect. 
 IX., attempts to evade its force, by alleging, that " it was to 
 the term, 'bishop' solely that he objected," and not to the of- 
 fice!! But Such an explanation is utterly inadmissible, ex- 
 cept at the expense of Mr. Wesley's character. For, if he 
 did not object to the things and only to the name, such se- 
 vere and vehement language is worse than ridiculous — it is 
 profane ! 
 
 But if Mr. Wesley did not recommend the episcopal mode 
 of church government, it may be inquired, how was that 
 form of government introduced among his followers in this 
 country? A satisfactory answer to this inquiry would be ve- 
 ry difficult, if not impossible, without impeaching the mo- 
 tives and conduct of its original founders. Mr. McCaine and 
 others do not hesitate to affirm, from their elaborate exami- 
 nation of the early history of Methodist episcopacy, that 
 it was introduced '■'■surreptitiously'''^ — by unlawful and disho- 
 nourable means. Ceitain it is, that the whole subject is to a 
 great extent, involved in " mystery" — and that the reasons 
 assigned, at different times, by the General Conference, for 
 the formation of their Episcopal Church, are not the same 
 — their general minutes not only differing on this subject 
 from the Book of Discipline — but different editions of the 
 Book of Discipline itself differing from each other! — See Mc- 
 Caine'' s History, pp. 18 and 19. 
 
 The following interesting sketch of the origin of Method- 
 ist episcopacy, may serve to throw some light upon the 
 " mystery" in which it is involved: — It is taken from Dr. 
 "Jennings's Exposition," &c., pp. 122 — 128.
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 33 
 
 ** Wc learn from the general minutes, that the first 
 Methodist conference in America, was held in Philadelphia, 
 in the year 1773. The minute says, this conference con- 
 sisted of ten travelling preachers. A careful examination 
 of the subject, has convinced us that six only, and these 
 all Englishmen, were the acting members of the con- 
 ference; Thomas Rankin, George Shadford, John King, 
 Francis Asbury, Richard Wright, and Robert Williams. 
 Lee's History says, this conference consisted of six or seven 
 travelling preachers. The apparent uncertainty, about six 
 or seven, grew out of the fact, that the name of Robert 
 Strawbridge, an Irishman, and successful local preacher, of 
 Pipe Creek, Frederick county, Maryland, is placed on the 
 minute, as if one of their body. In the minute of 1774, his 
 name is not found. In the year 1775, he appears to have 
 been stationed in his own county. After that date, his 
 name is no more to be seen. With Mr. Lee, therefore, we 
 doubt the propriety of reckoning more than six. The re- 
 maining three, William Waters, Abraham Whitworth, and 
 Joseph Yearly, were young men, received that year on trial, 
 and admitted into the connexion the following year. The 
 six English preachers, with Robert Strawbridge, the local 
 preacher, including the three young men, make up the ac- 
 count of ten, as constituting the conference. Before this 
 conference of six or seven British subjects, three great ques- 
 tions were proposed and answered; — answered, it would 
 seem, by the six Englishmen. It would have been useless 
 for Mr. Strawbridge to have objected to their views: and it 
 is not probable that any one of the three young men, just re- 
 ceived on trial, was prepared to look forward to ultimate con- 
 sequences, or to make objections to the resolutions of those, 
 from whom they were ready to receive instruction. 
 5
 
 34 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 " The first question was, ' ought not the authority of Mr. 
 Wesley, and that conference, to extend to the preachers and 
 jyeople in America, as well as in Great Britain and Ireland? ' * 
 In course, the English preachers answered, yes. And the 
 remaining four thought of no other answer. 
 
 " The societies at that time amounted to eleven hundred 
 and sixty. But they had no part in the transaction. The 
 six, or seven, or ten preachers determined for them and all 
 others who might afterwards be disposed to unite with them, 
 that the whole of them should be subject to ' the authority of 
 Mr. Wesley, and that conference.' 
 
 " The second great question proposed, was: ' ought not the 
 doctrine and discipline of the Methodists, as contained in 
 the minutes, to be the sole rule of our conduct, who 
 labour in the connexion with Mr. Wesley, in America ?' To 
 this question, they all answered^ 'yes.' Reformers think, 
 the word of God ought to have been the sole rule of 
 their conduct, and not ' the commandments of men.' By 
 this first question and answer, they had ' assumed ' the pre- 
 rogative, to subject all the American preachers and people, 
 who had associated as Methodists, and all who might be in- 
 clined to unite with them, to ' the authority of Mr. Wesley, 
 and that conference.' By the second question and answer, 
 they ' assumed ' the high prerogative of prescribing to all 
 American Methodist preachers the ' sole rule of their 
 conduct.' 
 
 " The third great question, which was proposed as being 
 inferable from the two preceding, evinces their despotic cha- 
 racter and design, and reads as follows, viz: * If so, does it 
 not follow, that if any preachers deviate from the minutes, 
 we can have no fellowship with them till they change their 
 
 *" Tliis was the first formal abbumplion of these high prerogatives."
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 35 
 
 conduct?' To this again, they answered, 'yes.' Now, to 
 place these proceedings in their proper light, let it be recol- 
 lected, that the Methodist societies under the authority of Mr. 
 Wesley, in England, &c., did not constitute a church, separate 
 and distinct from the established Church of England; they 
 Avere generally made up of members of the church. Mr. 
 Wesley was a regularly ordained presbyter of the national 
 establishment. It was, therefore, a very large ' assumption'* 
 of authority in the case of Mr. Wesley, himself, in Great 
 Britain, to require the submission of a people, under the pas- 
 toral care of other ministers. But when these six English- 
 men crossed the Atlantic, assembled themselves in Philadel- 
 phia, and placing themselvesunder the ban of Mr. Wesley's 
 authority in England, asserted their intention to rule over all 
 the Methodist preachers and societies then existing, or that 
 might ever afterwards have an existence in America; — this 
 was ' framing a church government, it was shaping a code 
 and making ecclesiastical laws, according to their own 
 model,' sure enough. Our brother Walker's view is correct. 
 " The authority of this first conference, commenced as 
 above stated, and the dictatorial attitude which these six 
 Englishmen then assumed, was so continued and made effi- 
 cient in the training and management of the young preach- 
 ers, raised up in America, and in the formation and drilling 
 of the societies through their instrumentality, that within the 
 term of little more than twelve years, things were in readi- 
 ness for the formation of an establishment, by which all 
 power is placed in the hands of the travelling preachers, and 
 through which, they have gained a degree of ascendency 
 over the people, sufficent to induce them, ' without any itin- 
 erant suggestion or influence, whatever,' to expel from their 
 communion, faithful servants of Jesus Christ, for having the 
 boldness to call in question, the legitimacy or reasonable-
 
 36 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 ness, of a system of church government, which still retains 
 the powers so '■assumed.^ 
 
 " The mighty influence of these English preachers, and 
 their manner of exercising it in view of its ultimate object, 
 will be more satisfactorily understood by attending to an 
 
 additional sketch or two from the history of those early 
 times. 
 
 " From the date, 1773, the revolutionary troubles inter- 
 rupted the progress of the work for several years; and we 
 read in the preface of Lee's History of the Methodists, &c., 
 page 5, ' there have been, in general, very many errors and 
 imperfections in the minutes of the Annual Conferences.' 
 We shall, therefore, take no notice of them from the year 
 1773 till 1779. In this year, 1779, two conferences were 
 held. One at Mr. F. White's, in Delaware, the place of Mr. 
 Asbury's retirement; — the other at the Broken-back church, 
 in Fluvanna county, Virginia. According to the large min- 
 utes which were published in 1813, it appears that on the 
 28th April, 1779, sixteen preachers attended the conference 
 at Mr. White's; and thirty-two at the Broken-back church, 
 on the 18th of May following; — twenty-two days only, after 
 the conference at Mr. White's. The number of preachers 
 reckoned for the two conferences is forty-nine. "= We have 
 been told, however, that the conference at Mr White's, was 
 attended by Freeborn Garretson, Joseph Hartly, William 
 Glendenning, Daniel RufF, Joseph Cromwell, Thomas S. 
 Chew, Thomas McClure, Caleb B. Peddicord, John Cooper, 
 William Gill, and William Waters, who, together with Mr. 
 Asbury, made up twelve in number. If this communica- 
 tion was erroneous, and the true number was sixteen, it will 
 
 * " There must have been one absent, whose name was afterwards 
 inserted."
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 37 
 
 not materially change the view which we propose to take of 
 these two conferences. 
 
 " The conference at Mr. White's, was convoked by Mr. 
 Asbury, and if sixteen in number, it consisted of less than one- 
 third of all the preachers who ought to have been present, in 
 order to do the weighty business which was done by them. 
 
 " One of the questions proposed and answered, was as 
 follows: 
 
 *" Ought not brother Asbury to act as general assistant in 
 America ? 
 
 "*.5ns. He ought. 1st, On account of his age. 2d, Be* 
 cause originally appointed by Mr. Wesley. 3d, Being join- 
 ed with Messrs. Rankin and Shadford, by express order from 
 Mr. Wesley.' 
 
 " Another question proposed and answered by the same 
 conference, was as follows, viz: 
 
 " ' How far shall his (brother Asbury's) power extend ? 
 
 " ' Ans. On hearing every preacher, for and against what 
 is in debate; the right of determination shall rest with him, 
 according to the minutes.' That is, his power in America, 
 shall be equal to Mr. Wesley's in England. 
 
 " The appointment of a general assistant, and the adop- 
 tion of a resolution conferring upon him such plenary power, 
 was an act of the greatest importance. At the time when 
 this was done by eleven, or if we admit it, by fifteen, there 
 were thirty-two other preachers, all absent. But the eleven, 
 or say fifteen, ' assumed ' the prerogative to say for the whole 
 forty-nine, that Mr. Asbury ' ought ' to rule over them all, 
 after the manner above stated. To judge rightly of the ex- 
 tent of this ' ASSUMPTION,' it must be recollected, that the 
 regular conference * was expected to meet in about twenty 
 
 * " Freeborn Garretson, in his last letter, recognizes this as the regular 
 Conference."
 
 38 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 days, in Fluvanna county, Virginia, where, in fact, thirty- 
 two did meet and pass resolutions, and adopted measures, 
 promising to be more consistent with independent American 
 views of church government. To make this measure plaus- 
 ible, Mr. Asbury held out this conference as one prepara- 
 tory to the conference at Broken-back church, and appealed 
 to a similar instance in Mr. Wesley's administration, in Eng- 
 land: — not seeming to have perceived, that this appeal im- 
 plicated his assumption of a standing parallel with that of 
 Mr. Wesley. And itis the assumption of which we complain. 
 *' In 1780, 24th April, a part of the preachers met in Bal- 
 timore, it would seem, at the instance, and under the special 
 influence of Mr. Asbury. Shall not this conference be con- 
 sidered to have been a preparatory one, as well as that which 
 met the year preceding, at Mr. White's ? The regularly ap- 
 pointed conference was expected to meet at the Manakin 
 Town, in Virginia, on the 8th day of next month, two weeks 
 from that time. This second preparatory conference was 
 composed of about fourteen or fifteen young men, nine of 
 whom attended the conference at Mr. White's. To these 
 nine were added, Messrs. John Hagerty, Richard Garretson, 
 Micajah Debruler, Joshua Dudley, Philip Cox, perhaps, 
 and John Tunnell. The large minutes would lead to the 
 supposition that the conference consisted of twenty-four. 
 But there were at least five young men received on trial, 
 which would make the number of acting members to be 
 nineteen. The minute seems to be marked with uncertain- 
 ty. It is obvious, however, that the whole number of the 
 preachers, as stated for the year 1780, is forty-two. In 
 course, that nineteen of them met in Baltimore; — we will 
 say nineteen, in order to conform to the minute, and these 
 nineteen ' assumed ' the power to * nullify' the proceedings 
 of the regular conference, — of the thirty-two who met the 
 preceding year, at the Broken-back church, in Virginia.
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 39 
 
 " Three questions were proposed and answered in accom- 
 plishing this nullification, viz: 
 
 " ' Quest. 20. Does this whole conference,' [all these 
 nineteen preachers,] ' disapprove the step our brethren have 
 taken in Virginia ? 
 
 " '^7is. Yes. 
 
 " ' Ques. 21. Do we look upon them no longer as Meth- 
 odists, in connexion with Mr. Wesley and us, till they come 
 back ? 
 
 " ^ Ans. Agreed. 
 
 " ' Ques. 26. What must be the conditions of our union 
 with our Virginia brethren ? 
 
 " * Ans. To suspend all their administrations for one year, 
 and all meet together in Baltimore.' 
 
 " And was not this the most absolute dictation ? To us it 
 has that appearance. 
 
 " Mr. Asbury's influence must have been very considerable, 
 or he could not have succeeded in carrying into effect, mea- 
 sures so inconsistent with the rights of the preachers. Un- 
 der that influence a few of them ' assumed ' the right to act 
 for the whole, in declaring him the General Assistant, and 
 in awarding to him a degree of power, totally incompatible 
 with American views of government of any kind. Under 
 the same influence, ^LnoiYmi preparatory conference ' assum- 
 ed' the right to nullify the proceedings of a majority, and 
 actually to declare the majority excluded from the fellow- 
 ship of Mr. Wesley and themselves, unless they would sub- 
 mit to the dictation of the minority, and show their obedi- 
 ence by a strict regard of that dictation for one year, and 
 then present themselves at Baltimore, ready for further or- 
 ders. 
 
 " The Virginians, although they had some disposition to 
 assert their rights, were not able to resist the influence of
 
 40 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 Mr. Asbury, whose authority was already admitted by the 
 preachers to the North. We read in Lee's History, page 73, 
 that Mr. Asbury ' met with the preachers in conference at 
 Baltimore,' as has been already mentioned. He then visited 
 his brethren in Virginia, and attended the conference at the 
 ' Manakin Town,' *** and ' had to exert all his powers, and to 
 use all possible prudence, in order to bring about a settled 
 peace and union among all the preachers.' He might have 
 said, in order to bring all the preachers into the state of sub- 
 mission, proposed and established by the eleven, at Mr. 
 White's. It would seem, that the Virginians could not per- 
 ceive at first sight, the weight of the reasons assigned for 
 making Mr. Asbury general assistant, and clothing him with 
 absolute power. The eleven had said he ' ought' to act in 
 that capacity, because of his age. And how old was he ? In 
 1771, when he came to America, he was twenty-six. In 
 1779, he was thirty-four. Virginians could not feel suffi- 
 cient weight in thirty-four years, to justify the appoint- 
 ment. But the eleven had two additional reasons, or at 
 least, one additional reason, twice told, so as to seem to 
 have had three. They said he ought to act as general as- 
 sistant, because ' he was originally appointed by Mr. Wes- 
 ley.' Virginians knew, that Mr. Wesley did not originally 
 appoint him to act as general assistant, but as an assistant 
 only, and as inferior to Mr. Rankin. But to guard against 
 this exception, which appears to have been anticipated by 
 them, they state the reason over again, and admit the truth 
 of the case, as if it were a third reason, and say, ' he ought 
 to act as general assistant, because he was joined with 
 Messrs. Rankin and Shadford, by express order from Mr. 
 Wesley.' Virginians knew, that Mr. Wesley appointed one 
 general assistant, and no more, — Mr. Rankin; and that 
 Messrs. Shadford and Asbury, were assistants to Mr. Ran-
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 41 
 
 kin. They were not misinformed in respect to this matter. 
 Mr. Rankin travelled at large himself, and appointed to 
 Messrs. Shadford and Asbury, from year to year, their res- 
 pective circuits and stations. As to the motive of Mr. As- 
 bury, and those entering into his views, in aiding and sus- 
 taining him in these measures, by which he was daily gain- 
 ing new accessions of power, we shall say nothing to the 
 disparagement of his reputation. Mr. Wesley, had set the 
 dictatorial example. Mr. Asbury, thought it best to follow 
 on in his footsteps; — and, that he considered his course to be 
 apostolical, his own journal bears ample testimony. But in 
 view of the principles of government, it is undeniably true, 
 that he had not any other than an ' assumed* authority, to 
 convoke and organize a conference of twelve of the preach- 
 ers, when the whole number of them was forty-nine. And 
 when it is considered, that this ' assumption ' was intended 
 to forestall the regular conference, that was so soon to meet 
 at Broken-back church, we are compelled to feel toward the 
 measure, the greater objection. This unauthorized confer- 
 ence, had no right to appoint Mr. Asbury, general assistant. 
 The writer of the minute seems to have been conscious of 
 this, and the questions which were proposed and answered 
 by the Englishmen in 1773, as well as those which were 
 proposed and answered at Mr. Asbury's conference, at 
 Mr. White's, were framed accordingly. When they had 
 respect to the authority of the preachers, in the instance of 
 1773, and to the appointment of Mr. Asbury, in the instance 
 of the Delaware conference ; they were made to read thus : 
 ' Ought not the authority,' 8lc.^ ' Ought not the doctrine,* 
 &c. And ' ought not brother Asbury, to act as general as- 
 sistant in America ?' As if it were a matter of doubt. And 
 yet their decisions were acts of legislative purpose; and the 
 question, which was intended to mark the extent of Mr. As- 
 6
 
 42 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 biiry's power, is obviously imperative; as thus: 'How far 
 SHALL bis power extend ?' The Conference which was con- 
 vened at Baltimore, consisting only of a part of the preach- 
 ers, and obviously intended to forestall the depending con- 
 ference at the Manakin Town, had none other than an ' as- 
 sumed'' authority to nullify the proceedings of the majority 
 at Broken-back church. Nevertheless, things went on af- 
 ter this manner, and Mr. Asbury continued to gain such an 
 ascendency over the south as well as over the north, that as 
 early as the year 1782, he had pretty well secured all that 
 was necessary. ' The conference in the north,' says Mr. 
 Lee, ' was of the longest standing, composed of the oldest 
 preachers; it was allowed greater privileges than that in the 
 south; especially in making rules and forming regulations for 
 the societies. Accordingly, when any thing was agreed to, 
 in the Virginia conference, and afterwards disapproved of, 
 in the Baltimore conference, it was dropped. But if any 
 rule was fixed on at the Baltimore conference, the preachers 
 in the south were under the necessity of abiding by it.' 
 With these things in view, we cannot be surprized, that the 
 preachers were prepared by the year 1784, for the adoption 
 of an episcopal form of church government so constructed, 
 as to exclude the people and local preachers from their con- 
 ferences, and secure to themselves and their successors, all 
 power to legislate, and all authority to execute the discipline 
 of their church. 
 
 " It is due to the lay brethren, to state, that all these mat- 
 ters were conducted by the preachers alone. The people had 
 no part nor lot in the matter." 
 
 The following account of the unathorized assumption of 
 the title of ^^bishop,^^ by those whom Mr. Wesley had ap- 
 pointed, in 1784, plain " superintendents," may also serve 
 to throw some light on the early history of Methodist epis-
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 43 
 
 copacy. It is taken from Lee's " Short History," &c. pp. 
 127—129: — 
 
 " In the course of this year," [1787, or tliree years after 
 the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church,] " Mr. 
 Asbury reprinted tlio General Minutes; but in a different form 
 from what (hey were before. The tittle of tiiis pamphlet was 
 as follows: 
 
 " 'A Form of Discipline for the Ministers, Preachers and 
 Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America,' &c. 
 
 " In this discipline, there were thirty-one sections, and six- 
 ty-three questions, with answers to them all. 
 
 "The third question in the second section, and the an- 
 swer, read, thus: 
 
 " ' Q. Is there any other business to be done in conference ? 
 
 " ' A. The electing and ordaining of bishops, elders, and 
 deacons.' 
 
 " This was the first time that our superintendents ever 
 gave themselves the title of bishops in the minutes. They 
 
 CHANGED THE TITLE THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE CONSENT 
 
 OF THE conference; and at the next conference they asked 
 the preachers if the word bishop might stand in the minutes; 
 seeing that it was a scripture name, and the meaning of the 
 word bishop, was the same with that of superintendent." [!! !] 
 
 " Some of the preachers," continues Mr. Lee, " opposed 
 the alteration, and wished to retain the former title; but a 
 majority of the preachers agreed to let the word bishop re- 
 main; and in the annual minutes for the next year, the first 
 question is, ' Who are the bishops of our church for the Uni- 
 ted States ?' 
 
 " In the third section of this form of discipline, and in the 
 sixth page, it is said, ' we have constituted ourselves into an 
 episcopal church, under the direction of bishops, ciders, dea- 
 cons and preachers, according to the form of ordination an-
 
 44 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 nexcd to our Prayer Book, and the regulations laid down in 
 this form of discipline.' From that time the name of bishop 
 has been in common use among us, both in conversation 
 and in writing." 
 
 I shall not pursue this part of the subject any further, 
 because, although the question whether Mr. Wesley did or 
 did not recommend the episcopal form of church govern- 
 ment, may be regarded as highly important, by Methodists, 
 who entertain so great a deference for his authority, yet, to 
 the public at large, it is not material. — Those, however, who 
 may desire to see this point more fully discussed, are referred 
 to Mr. McCaine's History, and Dr. Emory's Defence. 
 
 But, supposing that Mr. Wesley did ordain Dr. Coke a 
 prelatical bishop, and direct him to confer the same episco- 
 pal office on Mr. Asbury, — by what authority, we inquire, 
 did he presume so to do ? Mr. Wesley was a presbyter in 
 the Church of England, and so was Dr. Coke. Now, by 
 what ecclesiastical authority, could one presbyter make 
 another presbyter, a prelatical bishop ! How could he con- 
 fer, what he did not himself possess ? How could he invest 
 his equal w^th an authority greater than his own ? It was 
 well remarked, that if Dr. Coke was raised by Mr. Wesley 
 to a rank above a presbyter, and invested with superior pow- 
 ers, then " he that was sent, was greater than he that sent 
 him ! " And the strange anomaly was seen of the inferior 
 giving his superior his instructions, and not only calling 
 him to an account for his episcopal acts, but actually pun- 
 ishing him for his alleged misconduct ! ! Or, as the Rev. 
 Dr. Home, bishop of Norwich observed, — " if a presbyter 
 can ordain a bishop, then the greater is blessed of the less, 
 and the order of all things is inverted." The truth is, that 
 if such an attempt was really made, it was not only necessa- 
 rily abortive, but supremely ridiculous I
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 45 
 
 Equally amusing it is to observe the confusion of ideas — 
 the self-contradictions — and the awkward shuffling of the 
 apologists of Dr. Coke's " episcopal" ordination in particu- 
 lar, and the defenders of Methodist episcopacy in general. 
 When pressed by the undeniable want of authority on the 
 part of presbyter Wesley to ordain Dr. Coke a prelatical 
 bishop, they deny that he intended to make him a bishop in 
 that sense — and allege that their bishops are not a distinct 
 order superior to presbyters, but only invested wnth a supe- 
 rior executive office I But when they undertake to defend 
 their episcopacy in general — and to justify the exercise of 
 episcopal rights and powers on the part of their bishops, 
 why then, forsooth, Mr. Wesley did intend to create Dr. 
 Coke, and through him, his successors, bishops " in fact," 
 with all the rights and powers of prelatical bishops, and they 
 affirm that their bishops do constitute a distinct order, &:c. 
 &c. ! ! 
 
 Thus, Dr. Emory, in his Defence, sec. V., says, — in re- 
 ply to the alleged absurdity of Mr. Wesley's attempting to 
 ordain Dr. Coke a bishop in the common acceptation of that 
 term, — " Now, if Mr. Wesley ordained Dr. Coke in no such 
 sense; — if he pretended to no such thing; — if neither our 
 bishops nor the Methodist Episcopal Church have ever pre- 
 tended to any such thing, — what then ? Why, then it fol- 
 lows, that all the smart sayings on this transaction, which 
 have been repeated and copied from my lord bishop of Nor- 
 wich down to Mr. McCaine, are wholly wide of the mark," 
 &c. 
 
 Thus, also. Dr. Bond, sen., in his "Narrative and De- 
 fence," page 66, says — " As to the charge of our having at 
 any time considered our bishops as a distinct ministerial or- 
 der, contra-distinguished from, and superior to, presbyters or 
 elders, it has no foundation in fact. The very circumstance
 
 46 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 of our having acknowledged ihc right of elders to ordain, is 
 a sufficient refutation of the allegation. We consider the 
 episcopacy a superior office in the church — not a distinct 
 ministerial order; and this is the light in which it has been 
 considered ever since its institution." 
 
 This is all very plain — but let us take, per contra, one or 
 two specimens of their defence of Methodist episcopacy in 
 general: — 
 
 Dr. Emory, in his Defence, sec. VIJ.,thus writes — " We 
 assert with confidence, that any intelligent, candid and im- 
 partial man, who shall examine this Prayer Book, will say, 
 either that Mr. Wesley intended to establish the ordination 
 of an order of superintendents, to act as bishops in fact, 
 though with the title of superintendents; or, that he did not 
 intend to establish the ordination of any orders of ministers 
 at all; and that ' our fathers utterly mistook the whole affiiir.' 
 The preceding remark is confirmed by this fact. The forms 
 recommended to us by Mr. Wesley for ' ordaining of superin- 
 tendents, elders, and deacons,"* are precisely similar to those 
 used by the Church of England, and by the Protestant Epis- 
 copal Church in this country, for ordaining of ' bishops, 
 priests, and deacons.' The only difference is, that Mr. Wes- 
 ley somewhat abridged the forms, with a few verbal altera- 
 tions, and substituted the title ' superintendent' for ' bishop,' 
 just as he did that of ' elder' for ' priest.' So that it is plain, 
 if by ' superintendent,' he did not mean that order of minis- 
 ters denominated by those churches ' bishops,^ neither by ' el- 
 der,' did he mean that order of ministers denominated by 
 those churches ' priests.' In whatever sense distinct ordi- 
 nations constitute distinct orders, in the same sense Mr. 
 Wesley certainly intended that we should have three or- 
 ders. For he undeniably instituted three distinct ordina- 
 tions." ! !
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 47 
 
 Thus, also, in the article published by the Rev. Messrs. 
 N. Bangs and J. Emory, in Buck's Theological Dictionary, 
 edition 1825, it is said, — " As to the government, the title 
 sufficiently ascertains its distinctive character, it being in 
 fact, and in name, episcopal. Three orders of ministers 
 are recognized, and the duties peculiar to each are clearly 
 defined.'M!! 
 
 Let us place this testimony in juxta-position: — 
 
 Dr. Bond, sen. Dr. Emory. 
 
 "As to the charge of our " In ivhatever sense distinct 
 
 having at any time consider- ordinations constitute distinct 
 
 ed our bishops as a distinct orders, in the same sense Mr. 
 
 ministerial order, contra-dis- Wesley certainly intended that 
 
 tinguished from, and superior we should have three orders. 
 
 to, presbyters or elders, it has For he undeniably instituted 
 
 no foundation in fact." three distinct ordinations." 
 
 Dr. Bond, sen. Mess. JY. Bangs Sf J. Emory. 
 
 " We consider the episco- " Three orders of ministers 
 pacy a superior office in the are recognized, and the du- 
 church — NOT a distinct minis- ties peculiar to each are clear- 
 terial order; and this is the ly defined." 
 light in which it has been 
 considered ever since its in- 
 stitution." 
 
 Now, in reply to these consistent apologists and defend- 
 ers, we say, — that either Mr. Wesley intended to ordain 
 Dr. Coke a prelatical bishop, or he did not: — Either the 
 bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church are in fact pre- 
 latical bishops, or they are not. If Mr. Wesley intended, 
 by the imposition of his hands and prayer, to raise Dr. Coke 
 to a higher order in the ministry, and to invest him with
 
 48 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 episcopal powers, in the prelatical sense, then did he as- 
 sume an authority which did not belong to him, and the 
 whole transaction was a contemptible trifling with sacred 
 things ! But if this was not intended — if neither Dr. Coke, 
 nor his successors in the episcopal office, were made pre- 
 latical bishops, then the whole account of their ordination, 
 &c., is not only ludicrous, but adapted to convey a totally 
 false impression ! To allege that the Methodist bishops are 
 not bishops in the prelatical sense, and yet, to adopt the form 
 of episcopal ordination employed in the Church of England, 
 and to use the same terras in describing their order, office, 
 succession, powers, &c., which are used in describing those 
 of bishops in the common or prelatical sense, is, I repeat it, 
 supremely ridiculous — if not something a great deal worse ! 
 Who would ever dream, in reading the pompous account 
 contained in their Book of Discipline of the "episcopal" 
 ordination of Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury, or the forms direct- 
 ed to be used in the ordination of their bishops, taken al- 
 most verbatim from the liturgy of the Episcopal Church of 
 England, that their bishops are not to be regarded as bishops 
 in the usual or prelatical sense ? If nothing more is intend- 
 ed, by their distinct " episcopal" ordination, than the confer- 
 ring upon them, the power of general superintendence, why 
 talk about " three distinct orders" ! — or make so much ado 
 about " the validity of their episcopal ordination" ! ! — or 
 breathe a word about their due" order and succession" ! ! ! 
 — Why borrow a form of episcopal ordination from a church, 
 which is only used by that church in the ordination of prela- 
 tical bishops, and then gravely argue, that, because the same 
 ceremony is employed, the same powers, &c., are of course 
 conferred ! ! ! If men will perpetrate such nonsense, they 
 need not wonder that they are laughed at for their simplicity 
 — and by none more heartily than Episcopalians themselves, 
 whose forms they so absurdly follow.
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 49 
 
 To cap the climax of this absurdity, it appears that " bish- 
 op" Coke, after he had been made, as is alleged, a bishop 
 "in fact," by Mr. Wesley, and of the " validity" of whose 
 "episcopal" ordination the General Conference say they 
 were "fully satisfied," — not being himself satisfied, applied 
 to bishop White, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, for re- 
 ordination ! In the humiliating letter which he addressed to 
 bishop White, he says, — " He (Mr. Wesley) did indeed so- 
 lemnly invest me, as far as he had a right so to do, ! 
 with episcopal authority, but did not intend, I think, that our 
 entire separation should take place. **** Our ordained min- 
 isters will not, ought not, to give up their right of administer- 
 ing the sacraments. I don't think that the generality of them, 
 perhaps none of them, would refuse to submit to a re-ordi- 
 nation, if-other hindrances were removed out of the way" ! ! 
 — that is, if the knowledge of the learned languages, &c., 
 usually required, could be dispensed with ! This extraordi- 
 nary letter of " bishop" Coke to bishop White — which he 
 might well ask the latter to " burn," in case he had no 
 thought of improving the proposal — and a letter of bishop 
 White to his friend on the subject of Dr. Coke's proposi- 
 tion, may be seen in Mr. McCaine's History and Mystery, 
 pp. 24—27. 
 
 It is remarkable, also, that whenever this "bishop'' left 
 this country and returned to England, he left his /t7/e behind 
 him — and becoming again plain Dr. Coke, fell into the ranks 
 of Mr. Wesley's preachers, and received his appointments 
 and directions from that presbyter!! Moreover, it seems 
 that, notwithstanding the failure of his application to bishop 
 White, about eight years afterwards, he wrote a letter to the 
 bishop of London, requesting him to ordain a given number 
 of preachers to travel through the connexion in England, for 
 7
 
 50 METHODIST KPISCOFACY. 
 
 the purpose of administering the sacraments, agreeably to 
 the usages of the established church ! — See extracts from 
 this letter in Mr. McCaine's History, pp. 30 and 31, copied 
 from " Drew's Life of Dr. Coke," p. 288. 
 
 Dr. Emory, in apologizing for the letter of "bishop" 
 Coke to bishop White, suggests that the doctor might have 
 made those proposals, " for the sake of union with the Pro- 
 testant Episcopal Church," without intending thereby to ac- 
 knowledge the invalidity of his episcopal ordination; and he 
 produces evidence to show, that the Dr. subsequently ex- 
 pressed his regret that he had made the application, and 
 that he did not doubt the validity of his episcopal ordination 
 by Mr. Wesley. But such subsequent expressions of regret 
 — after the failure of his proposals, are entitled to but little 
 weight. Besides, is it not strange, if he had no doubt him- 
 self of his episcopal ordination, that he should speak of it in 
 that letter so doubtingly ? — And particularly, for the purpose 
 of becoming " united" to a church, in which, the preachers 
 and members of his society in general, were " convinced 
 that, there was a great deficiency of vital religion" ! ! ! — And 
 still more singular, when " the great revival of religion," of 
 which Mr. Wesley had been " the father," was then *' ex- 
 tending over the earth, by the means of the Methodists" ! ! I 
 
 Before we pass from this part of our subject, it may be 
 proper to observe, that while we cannot but regard their 
 "third order" of ministers as illegitimate and spurious, we 
 are not unwilling, in charity, to recognize the validity of the 
 presbyterial ordination of the Methodist clergy. According 
 to the pohty of the Church of England, of which Mr. Wes- 
 ley was a minister, he had no authority to ordain a presby- 
 ter, much less a bishop, — and the commission of Dr. Coke 
 was not the act of a presbytery, regularly constituted, but of
 
 METHODIST EPISrOPACV. 51 
 
 individual presbyters, assembled for that purpose, at the in- 
 stance of Mr, Wesley. Notwithstanding these irregulari- 
 ties, however, as Dr. Coke had been previously and duly or- 
 dained a presbyter in the Church of England, and as " other 
 regularly ordained ministers assisted" in the ordination of 
 Mr. Asbury, &c., wc are willing lo recognize the validity of 
 Xhe\v prcsbyterial ordination, on the ground of " the exigen- 
 cy of necessity." And if, after the organization of their 
 church, they had chosen to elect a permanent moderator or 
 general superintendent, and had seen proper to invest him 
 with " superior executive power," — while loe should not 
 have thought that the most excellent or scriptural plan, — 
 yet, we should have regarded the transaction with becoming 
 respect. But when they confer upon their superintendents 
 the exclusive title of " bishops" — create them by a " distinct 
 episcopal ordination" — describe them as a " third order" of 
 ministers — and speak of their episcopal " succession," &c., 
 it is not possible for us to view^ their pretensions and con- 
 <luct without heartily laughing at their childishness and folly. 
 In compassion, however, to our Methodist brethren, and to 
 shield them, as far as we can, from the taunts of their hio-h 
 church prelatical neighbours, I will republish the fact that, 
 the latter were themselves, within an ace, in their '' exio-en- 
 cy of necessity" ! of having quite as spurious an episcopate 
 as the former ! And, although they fortunately escaped, yet 
 the admissions which were made by the gentleman who af- 
 terwards became their senior bishop, and the arguments which 
 he adduced in favour o( presbyterial ordination, should cause 
 them with becoming modesty to hold their peace. In conse- 
 quence of the revolutionary war, theie was, it appears, great 
 difficulty in procuring the episcopal ordination of ministers for 
 their churches in this country. There being then no bishop
 
 52 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 here, the candidates were obliged to go to England for ordi- 
 nation — the churches in the mean lime suffering for want of 
 pastors. In this state of things, the Rev. Dr. White, after- 
 wards consecrated bishop, wrote and published a pamphlet, 
 entitled " The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the Unit- 
 ed States Considered." In the "sketch of a frame of 
 government," contained in that work, and which he pro- 
 posed should be adopted by the episcopal churches, he says, 
 — as quoted by Dr. Emory in his Defence, sec. II: — 
 
 " In each smaller district there should be elected a gene- 
 ral vestry or convention, consisting of a convenient number, 
 (the minister to be one.) — They should elect a clergyman 
 their permanent president; who, in conjuction with other cler- 
 gymen to be also appointed by the body, may exercise such 
 powers as are purely spiritual, particularly that of admitting 
 to the ministry. ^^ Page 11. 
 
 Again; " The conduct meant to be recommended, is, — to 
 include in the proposed frame of government a general ap- 
 probation of episcopacy^ and a declaration of an intention to 
 procure the succession as soon as conveniently may be; but 
 in the meantime, to carry the plan into g^ec^ without wait- 
 ing FOR THE SUCCESSION."— lb. p. 15. 
 
 " It will be said, we ought to continue as we are, with 
 the hope of obtaining it (the succession) hereafter. But," 
 continues Dr. White, " are the acknowledged ordinances of 
 Christ's holy religion to be suspended for years, perhaps as 
 long as the present generation shall continue, out of delicacy 
 to a disputed point, and that relating only to externals? — All 
 the obligations of conformity to the divine ordinances, all the 
 arguments which prove the connection between public wor- 
 ship and the morals of a people, combine to urge the adopt- 
 ing of some speedy measures, to provide for the public minis-
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 53 
 
 try in these churches. If such as have been above recom- 
 mended," (viz: ordination by the president clergyman, in 
 conjunction with other clergymen appointed by that body,) 
 " should be adopted, and the episcopal succession afterward 
 obtained, any supposed imperfections of the intermediate or- 
 dinations might, if it were judged proper^ be supplied, without 
 acknowledging their nullity^ by a conditional ordination re- 
 sembling that of conditional baptism in the liturgy." — lb. 
 
 But if the "succession" had never been "afterward ob- 
 tained," there can be no doubt, as Dr. Emory well observes, 
 that Dr. White would have maintained the validity of the 
 ordinations on his plan, without the succession. For, as Dr. 
 White very justly argues in another place, — " If even those 
 who hold episcopacy to be of divine right, conceive the ob- 
 ligation to it to be not binding when that idea would be des- 
 tructive of public worship, much more must they think so, 
 who indeed venerate and prefer that form as the most an- 
 cient and eligible, but without any idea of divine right in 
 the case. This, the author (Dr. White) believes to be the 
 sentiment of the great body of episcopalians in America; in 
 which respect, they have in their favour, unquestionably, the 
 sense of the Church of England, and, as he believes, the 
 opinions of her most distinguished prelates, for piety, virtue, 
 and abilities." — lb., p. 25. 
 
 In view of the above extracts from the writings of the 
 senior bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the rea- 
 der may judge what ground there is for prelatical episcopa- 
 cy — and how readily, " in the exigency of necessity" ! the 
 greatest admirers of " apostolical succession," can recog- 
 nize and prove the validity of presbyterial or d\n^i\or\s ! ! 
 
 The truth is, that according to the Scriptures, there is but 
 one permanent order of ministers in the church of Christ.
 
 54 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 In the New Testament they are called, interchangeably, 
 "• bishops," and " presbyters" or elders. The term presbyter 
 denoting their general office, — that of bishop, their particu- 
 lar function as the pastors of parochial churches or congre- 
 gations. Every pastor, therefore, was originally styled a 
 bishop, and continued for a considerable time afierwads to 
 be so called: — nor, after the death of the apostles, whose 
 office was extraordinary, has there ever been, by divine right, 
 any order of ministers superior to pastors in dignity and au- 
 thority. 
 
 As to the " order of deacon," — it is sufficient to remark, 
 that deacons are no order of ministers at all ! The office was 
 instituted for the express purpose of rendering it unnecessa- 
 ry for ministers to attend to its duties ! From the account 
 given of its institution, it appears that some of the poor com- 
 plained that they had been neglected: when the apostles said 
 to the people, — " It is not reason that we should leave the 
 word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look 
 ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the 
 Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this 
 business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, 
 and to the ministry of the word." — Acts. G; 1 — 6. Dea- 
 cons, therefore, were appointed — not to preach — but to take 
 care of the poor; in order that ministers might give them- 
 selves without interruption to their official and more appro- 
 priate work. 
 
 After presenting the Scriptural proof in favour of ministe- 
 rial parity, and the testimony of the earliest Christian fathers, 
 the Rev. Dr. Miller, in his tract entitled, " Presbyterianism, 
 the Truly Primitive and Apostolical Constitution of the 
 Church of God," page 17, says, — " Thus it is evident — the 
 ancients themselves being our witnesses — that, in the apos-
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 55 
 
 tolic age, bishop and presbyter were the same; that, the bish- 
 ops were parish ministers; that, in every parish, a body of el- 
 ders, with their pastor at their head, conducted the govern- 
 ment and discipline; that, of course, presbyterian parity in 
 the gospel ministry universally prevailed; that the rite of or- 
 dination was equally the prerogative of all who were em- 
 powered to preach the gospel, and administer the sacra- 
 ments; that it was habitually performed "by the laying on 
 of the hands of the presbytery ;" that matters continued in 
 this situation for more than a hundred years after the close 
 of the apostolic age; that then clerical pride, ambition and 
 cupidity began, more sensibly than in the preceding times, 
 to disclose their native effects; and that the pastors of the 
 more opulent towns claimed special pre-eminence and pow- 
 ers, as peculiarly the successors of the apostles, which, by 
 little and little, were admitted, and at length, permanently 
 established. Thus were parochial bishops, or the pastors 
 of single congregations, gradually transformed into dioces- 
 an, or prelatical bishops, and, under an old and familiar ti- 
 tle, a new office artfully introduced; until, in the fourth cen- 
 tury, when Christianity became the established religion of 
 the empire, when the clergy were pampered by imperial 
 bounty, defended by imperial authority, and their honours ar- 
 ranged according to the gradations of rank, which were ob- 
 tained in the state; all traces of primitive simplicity and pu- 
 rity were lost in the plans and splendour of worldly policy. 
 Bishops became ' lords over God's heritage,' rather than ' ex- 
 amples to their flocks.' " 
 
 Those who wish to see, in a small compass, a most tri- 
 umphant refutation of the claims of prelatical or diocesan 
 episcopacy, as well as a most satisfactory establisment of the 
 scriptural doctrine of ministerial parity, are referred to the
 
 56 METHODIST EPISCOPACY. 
 
 tract of Dr. Miller, from which we have made the foregoing 
 extract. — And high church episcopalians in particular, are 
 respectfully referred to the sensible pamphlet of their late se- 
 nior bishop beforementioned. 
 
 Having thus disposed of the origin, &c. of Methodist 
 " episcopacy," I will proceed, in the next chapter, to expose 
 the true character of the government and discipline of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church.
 
 CHAFTER ZZ. 
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 The government is anti-republican, because all the legislative and execu- 
 tive power is in the hands of their clergy — the laity have no represent- 
 ation in the General or Annual Conference, and of course have no 
 voice in the government. — The discipline is tyrannical, because the 
 members are amenable to any rules and regulations which it may 
 please their clergy from time to time to agree upon — and because the 
 usual forms of law and justice are not constitutionally prescribed and 
 secured in the trial of church members, — such a system is, in its ten- 
 dency, dangerous to public liberty and the free institutions of the land. 
 — The truly republican character of the government and discipline of 
 the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The government of the MethodLst Episcopal Church is 
 anti-republic 071, because all the legislative power is in the 
 hands of the itinerant ii)inistry, exclusively, and without re- 
 sponsibility. In other words, the people have no represent- 
 ation in the General Conference, which body possesses the 
 power of legislation; — the people, therefore, have no voice 
 in the making of the laws by which they are governed, and 
 no means of bringing their clerical legislators to an account 
 for the character of their legislation ! — They must submit to 
 be governed as the itinerant preachers please, or be expelled 
 from the communion of the church ! 
 
 That the whole legislative power of the church is in the 
 hands of the General Conference, is evident, from the fol- 
 lowing extracts from the Book of Discipline, chapter I., 
 section 3. — " The General Conference shall be composed of 
 one member for every twenty-one members of each Annual
 
 68 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE, 
 
 Conference, to be appointed either by seniority or chface, a( 
 the discretion of such Annual Conference: yet so that such 
 representatives shall have travelled at least four full calendar 
 years from the time that they were received on trial by an 
 Annual Conference, and are in full connexion at the time of 
 holding the conference." **** " Who shall attend the Year- 
 ly Conferences ? All the travelling preachers who are in full 
 connexion, and those who are to be received into full con- 
 nexion." **** "The General Conference shall have full 
 powers to make rules and regulations for our church, under 
 the following limitations and restrictions." — What these 
 limitations and restrictions are, we shall see presently. 
 
 It thus appears, that the General Conference is composed 
 of a certain number of delegates from the Annual Conferen- 
 ces; — that the Annual Conferences are composed exclusive- 
 ly of itinerant ministers; — and that the power of making 
 rules and regulations is vested solely in the itinerant preach- 
 ers composing the General Conference. No lay delegates 
 are admitted into the composition of the Annual Conferen- 
 ces, and of course none into the General Conference; and, 
 consequently, the people have no voice in the government, to 
 which, nevertheless, they are held amenable under pain of 
 excommunication or expulsion ! 
 
 It is true that the powers of the General Conference are 
 said to be limited and restricted; but of what avail are these 
 alleged "limitations and restrictions," when it is " provided, 
 nevertheless," that a certain number of the preachers, (with- 
 out the consent, or even againstthe will of the people,) " shall 
 suffice to alter any of the above restrictions, excepting the 
 first article" ! ! — Discipline, chap. J., sec. 3. And with re- 
 gard to " the first article," which relates to the doctrines of 
 the church, the exception is of little practical use, because it 
 is notorious that the professed creed of a denomination may
 
 GOVEHNMENT AND DISCIPLINK. 59 
 
 remain unaltered, while the greater part of those who formal- 
 ly subscribe it are grossly heretical. Look, for example, at 
 the Church of England, the avowed model of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church; — her Calvinistic creed has never been 
 " altered," and yet the Rev. John Wesley and hundreds of 
 other Arminian preachers have subscribed it — not "for sub- 
 stance" merely — but as really teaching Arrainianism itself! ! 
 And if the " thirty-nine articles," and the " homilies" of 
 the Church of England, can be construed into Arminianism, 
 without alteration, — then, as easily, and as honestly, might 
 the present vague and brief Arminian articles of Methodism, 
 without modification or change, be construed into scriptural 
 Calvinism ! But who shall judge whether the preachers have 
 become heretical in doctrine or not? Have the people any 
 part in their trial ? If the great body of the people should 
 be convinced that their ministers had changed their doctri- 
 nal sentiments, have they any redress ? Could they exercise 
 any power in their suspension from the ministry, or even 
 prevent them from the occupancy of their pulpits? No, they 
 have no legal or constitutional redress. The preachers may 
 change, at will, and without responsibility, any of the pre- 
 sent " rules and regulations" of the church; and as to the 
 doctrines, they may believe and preach what they please, so 
 that they do not alter the letter of the book, and yet the peo- 
 ple have no power either to expel them from the ministry, or 
 to eject them from their parsonages and pulpits. Yea, more, 
 there is nothing to hinder the preachers from repealing that 
 verbal restriction which excepts 'Uhe first article." All that 
 would be necessary, would be for them to " agree" among 
 themselves, that the words — " excepting the first article" — 
 should be expunged from the book, and then they might pro- 
 ceed, even without this slight impediment, to alter the doc- 
 trines of the church, as they now may the discipline, ad HM-
 
 60 GOVEBNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 tujn ! And is there any constitutional method, by which the 
 laity could prevent the repeal of this doctrinal restriction ? — 
 or any legal mode of redress, in case the preachers should 
 repeal it, and avowedly change the doctrines as they are now 
 stated in the book ? 
 
 But let us examine this system of government in detail: and 
 that I may direct your attention more distinctly to the several 
 parts, I will present them in the form of question and answer. 
 
 Quest. Who make all " the rules and regulations" of the 
 society .'' 
 
 Ans. The General Conference. — See Discipline, chap. J., 
 sec. 3, which I have already quoted, 
 
 Q. Who compose the General Conference ? 
 
 A. The General Conference is composed of representa- 
 tives from the Annual Conference. — lb. 
 
 Q. Who compose the Annual Conferences ? 
 
 A. Itinerant preachers exclusively. — Ih. 
 
 Q. Who compose the Quarterly Meeting Conferences .'' 
 
 A. The travelling and local preachers, exhorters, stewards, 
 and class leaders of the circuit. — Dis., chap /., sec. 5. 
 
 Q. By what rules and regulations are the Quarterly Meet- 
 ing Conferences governed .'' 
 
 A. By the rules and regulations adopted by the General 
 Conference, which is composed exclusively of itinerant 
 preachers. — Dis., chap. I., sec. 3. 
 
 Q. How are the ministers stationed .'' 
 
 A. By the " bishops," who are elected exclusively by 
 the travelling preachers. — Dis.,chap. I., sec. 4. What, have 
 not the people the right to choose their own p,jstors ? No, 
 they must receive any preacher whom the bishop may choose 
 to appoint. No matter how ignorant, or unacceptable, either 
 as a man, or as a preacher, the people must submit to the ap- 
 pointment until his time expires. And if the bishop should
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 61 
 
 send another equally undesirable — yea, if they should never 
 get a man whose ministry they would prefer, there is no 
 remedy, they must succumb or leave the church ! 
 
 Q. Who nominate the stewards ? — Surely the people have 
 the right to select and appoint these officers, as they estimate 
 the table expenses, &,c., of the preachers? 
 
 A. However unjust and indelicate it may seeui, the 
 preachers have legislated to themselves the ex(•l!l^ive right of 
 nominating the stewards, and the Quarterly Meeting Confer- 
 ence can elect from those so nominated only. — Dis.^ part 
 II., sec. 3. 
 
 Q. Who appoints the class leaders ? 
 
 A. The preacher in charge appoints all the leaders — and 
 changes or removes them at his pleasure. — Dis., chap. L, 
 sec. 10. 
 
 Q. Who nominates the trustees, by whom the parochial 
 property is held ? — Surely the people have the right of elect- 
 ing these purely temporal officers ? 
 
 A. Not at all. The preacher claims the exclusive right 
 of nomination, and the vacancies are filled up, by the re- 
 maining trustees, from those so nominated ! — So that th^ 
 congregation have not even the privilege of assenting to the 
 nominations of the preacher ! ! — Dis., part 11.., sec. 2. 
 
 Thus the reader will perceive, that the ministers not only 
 make all the laws, but they appoint, either directly, or indi- 
 rectly, all the executive officers — from the " bishops" down 
 to the class leaders ! The people have no representation — no 
 voice in the legislative department of the government — and 
 they must either passively receive, as executive officers, those 
 whom their clerical governors may choose to appoint, or 
 elect those only, whom it may please their superiors to 
 nominate! — The preachers — the preachers — the preachers 
 are every thing — and the people — just nothing at all ! ! !
 
 62 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 The discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church is equal- 
 ly anti-republican and tyrannical. 
 
 If a member is accused of any crime, which " is expressly 
 forbidden by the word of God, sufficient to exclude a person 
 from the kingdom of grace and glory," the preacher has the 
 power of arraigning him " before the society, of which he is 
 a member, or a select number of them;" and " if the ac- 
 cused person be found guilty by the decision of a majority 
 of the members, before whom he is brought to trial," — "let 
 the minister or preacher who has the charge of the circuit 
 expel him." — Dis., chap. II., sec. 7. 
 
 From this, it would appear, that it is optional with the 
 preacher to arraign an individual before the society, or a com- 
 mittee — selected and appointed by himself ! Surely, if this 
 be so, it is the grossest tyranny — and maybe made subservi- 
 ent to the worst of purposes. How easily could any preach- 
 er, by such a "packed jury," convict or acquit an accused 
 person, as suited his favouritism or prejudice ? — Who would 
 submit to such tyranny in civil society ? Who would allow 
 the civil judge to select and appoint the jury ? Who would 
 yield the right of challenge? — especially, if he saw the judge 
 appointing as jurors, those whom he knew to be his personal 
 enemies, or avowedly prejudiced against his cause! 
 
 Moreover, there is no specified time allowed the accused 
 to prepare for his defence — and no constitutional rules for 
 the proper and equitable conduct of the trial ! The preach- 
 er may cite the accused to appear, forthwith, before the so- 
 ciety, or his select committee; and whether he is ready to 
 proceed with his defence or not, the preacher is not obliged 
 by law, to grant him any time for preparation ! And with 
 respect to the manner in which the trial shall be conducted, 
 notwithstanding the great and sometimes vital importance of 
 the forms of justice, every thing is left to the arbitrary will
 
 G0VERN3IEMT AND DISCIPLINE. 63 
 
 of the presiding preacher — no matter how ignorant or how 
 tyrannical he may be! — He lays down the law — he admits 
 or overrules evidence, &c. &c., according to his own judg- 
 ment or discretion ! And if a majority of his select commit- 
 tee declare the accused guilty of the charges, the preacher 
 passes and executes the sentence of expulsion ! There may 
 be extenuating circumstances — the guilty party may appear 
 in some measure penitent — but there does not appear to be 
 any medium between acquittal or excommunication! — A 
 reprimand might be sufficient, or, at most, a temporary sus- 
 pension from the privileges of the church — and, perhaps, if 
 the award were left to the society or committee, they would 
 inflict a just and righteous punishment. But no — if declared 
 guilty of the facts charged, the preacher passes the sentence, 
 and the book provides for no less punishment, in such cases, 
 than expulsion ! ! 
 
 And yet, notwithstanding such tyranny, if a member dares 
 to " inveigh against the discipline" — no matter how ortho- 
 dox he may be in doctrine, or pious in practice — he is actu- 
 ally liable — according to " the rules and regulations" adopt- 
 ed by the preachers, and who make the discipline just what 
 they please — to be expelled from the church ! — " If a mem- 
 ber of our church shall be clearly convicted of endeavouring 
 to sow dissensions in any of our societies, by inveighing 
 against either our doctrines or discipline, such person so 
 offending, shall be first reproved by the senior minister 
 or preacher of his circuit, and, if he persist in such per- 
 nicious practices, he shall be expelled from the church." 
 — Dis., chap. 11. , sec. 7. What an evidence does this des- 
 potic provision afford of the anti-republican and tyrannical 
 character of their government and discipline! And yet it is 
 just such a provision as might be expected from those who 
 have assumed to themselves the wholepower of government,
 
 64 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 and who deny the people the right of representation. But is 
 it not monstrous, not only to refuse the people all participa- 
 tion in the making of the discipline, but to deny them the 
 right of "inveighing" against any of "the rules and regula- 
 tions" which the preachers may choose from time to time to 
 enact, however unjust and despotic they may appear to 
 the people to be ! — Such despotism has never been equalled 
 in this republican country, unless we may find a parallel in 
 the odious " alien and sedition law," which our fathers repu- 
 diated with abhorrence ! 
 
 Further. It appears that if the preacher is not satisfied 
 with the decision of the society, or committee before whom an 
 individual has been tried, he has the power to refer the case 
 to the next Quarterly Meeting Conference, where he may 
 expect the decision to be more in accordance with his judg- 
 ment or wishes. It is not enough that the member has been 
 tried and acquitted, or condemned by the committee selected 
 by the preacher himself, but if the decision is not agreeable 
 to him, he may have the cause tried over again by a court 
 composed of officials, who are, as such, the creatures of the 
 ministry ! — " Nevertheless, if in any of the above mentioned 
 cases, the minister or preacher differ in judgment from the 
 majority of the society, or the select number, concerning the 
 innocence or guilt of the accused person, the trial, in such 
 case, may be referred by the minister or preacher to the ensu- 
 ing Quarterly Meeting Conference." — Dis., chap. II., sec. 7. 
 
 It is true, that, if the party tried is not satisfied with the 
 decision of the society or committee, he may " appeal to the 
 next Quarterly Meeting Conference." — lb. But this privi- 
 lege is delusive, because the " local preachers, exhorters, 
 stewards, and class leaders," who compose that meeting in 
 conjunction with the travelling preachers of the circuit, are 
 either directly or indirectly appointed by the itinerant preach-
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. DO 
 
 ers — and the greater part, usually, of that body, viz: the 
 ** class leaders," are liable to be removed by the ministers at 
 pleasure! — Dis..,chap. II., sec. 2. These officials, therefore, 
 ai-e, in the sense explained, the creatures of the travelling or 
 stationed preachers; and cannot, therefore, be expected to 
 feel the same sympathy with the people, as if they were 
 elected by them, or were really responsible to them. They 
 are not the representatives of the people whom they try — 
 they are not responsible to the people for the manner in which 
 they dispose of the cases that are brought before them — 
 and, however partial and unrighteous their decisions may be, 
 the people cannot remove them from office, and must not 
 even " inveigh" against their tyrannical acts under pain of 
 being " expelled from the church" ! ! On the other hand, if 
 a majority of these officials, composing the Quarterly Meet- 
 ing Conference, do not please the preachers — to whom they 
 owe all their authority and importance — they may be, at the 
 mere will of the preachers, superceded by others, who will be 
 more subservient ! ! Now, without accusing those brethren 
 with a want of common honesty, or asserting that they have 
 ever decided intentionally wrong with a view to retain the 
 favour of their clerical superiors, we may safely affirm that 
 their official dependence is strongly adapted, however uncon- 
 sciously to themselves, unduly to influence their minds and 
 bias their judgments. A court of appeal, whose decisions 
 are final, should be so constituted as to be above suspicion. 
 The people, w4io are so deeply and irremediably affected by its 
 adjudications, should at least be fairly represented. — At all 
 events, the members composing such a tribunal, should not 
 be so dependent upon the will of the preachers, nor so en- 
 tirely irresponsible to the people. 
 
 Having thus shown — from their own Book, the anti-repub- 
 lican and tyrannical character of their government and dis- 
 9
 
 66 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 cipline, I will now quote the published opinions of others, 
 to show that I am by no means singular in my interpreta- 
 tions. 
 
 My first citation shall be from the tract entitled, " Ques- 
 tions and Answers, Explanatory of the Government of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, by the Rev. W. B. Evans," 
 &c. This gentleman, from his former ministerial connexion 
 with the church, is not only well acquainted with the theo- 
 retical principles of the government, but also with their prac- 
 tical operation, and his deliberately expressed and published 
 opinions are, therefore, entitled to great respect. The fol- 
 lowing extracts are taken from the tract just named: — 
 
 " Quest. What is the nature of the government of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church; that is to say, is it republican 
 or anti-republican ? 
 
 ^^ Ans. Anti-republican. 
 
 " Q. What are we to understand by a republican govern- 
 ment ? 
 
 "A. It is a government where the sovereign power is in 
 the hands of the people, or where all parts of the governed 
 are fairly represented in the legislature." — Page 5. 
 
 " Q. But is it not contended that the government of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church is republican, because persons 
 authorized to preach, must first be recommended by the peo- 
 ple, and does this not constitute them their representatives ? 
 
 " A. Some do so contend, but others, (yea, and ministers of 
 high standing) publicly thank God that their government is 
 not republican, and proclaim in their sermons, that no church 
 can have a republican government, without dethroning Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 " Q. But does not the circumstance of their being so re- 
 commended by the people at first, constitute the government 
 republican ?
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 67 
 
 "A. No, for though this be the case, the people never 
 thought in that act, of constituting them law makers, but on- 
 ly recommended them as suitable persons to preach. That 
 this is the fact, is evident: First, because a majority so re- 
 commended and licensed, never become travelling preach- 
 ers, without which, they can have no voice in the govern- 
 ment, and of course cannot be the representatives of the peo- 
 ple: Second, many of those who become travelling preach- 
 ers, never go to the General Conference, and consequently 
 cannot represent any one there: Third, if some few do, af- 
 ter many years, become members of the General Conference, 
 they may have changed their views very much since they 
 were recommended to preach, and of course, could not suit- 
 ably represent the views and wishes of the people now: 
 Fourth, however corrupt they may have become since that 
 time in their principles, and oppressive in their measures, the 
 people have no authority to remove them from office and 
 elect others in their places; so, you see, this is a curious kind 
 of republicanism, and this fine superstructure, which has 
 been so much harped upon among the ignorant and uninform- 
 ed, tumbles to the ground, for want of a foundation to sup- 
 port it. 
 
 " Q. But did not the people, at the organization of the 
 church, consent to this kind of government by conventional 
 enactment; and if so, is it not founded in the will of the peo- 
 ple, and consequently republican ? 
 
 " A. No, the people were never consulted at the organiza- 
 tion of the Methodist Episcopal Church, they had no repre- 
 sentative present: but a few ministers, of themselves, in the 
 city of Baltimore, in 1784, framed the government without 
 the concurrence or consent of the people, and have held with 
 tenacious grasp ever since, all legislative, judicial, and execu- 
 tive prerogative.
 
 68 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE, 
 
 " Q. But did they not virtually embrace and approve of 
 this kind of government, in the act of joining the church, 
 and in this act concede to the preachers the right to make and 
 execute all the laws, and will not this make it republican ? 
 
 " A. No, not one in a hundred, if one in a thousand, 
 thought any thing about the principles of government when 
 uniting with the church, but were influenced in this act by 
 entirely different considerations. 
 
 " Q. But is there not a majority of the members in the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, in favour of this kind of gov- 
 ernment, and is not their peaceable submission to it an evi- 
 dence of that factj and if so, is it not founded in the will of 
 the people, and republican ? 
 
 »*'' A. This is very doubtful and uncertain, as it has never 
 been tested; neither are the preachers willing to submit it to 
 the voice of the members in a fair election, but have told 
 them plainly that they have no right to a voice in such mat- 
 ters. (See the report of the General Conference in 1828.)" 
 —lb., pp. 7—10. 
 
 " Q,. By whom are the laws made, for the government of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church ? 
 
 " A. By the General Conference. 
 
 " Q. Can no one be elected a member of the General Con- 
 ference but a travelling preacher .'' 
 
 " A. None. 
 
 " Q. Can no one vote for members of the General Con- 
 ference but a travelling preacher ? 
 
 " A. None. 
 
 " Q. May it not then be emphatically called a government 
 of travelling preachers ? 
 
 "A. Yes. 
 
 " Q. Upon whom are the laws of the General Conference 
 binding ?
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 69 
 
 " A. Upon the travelling and local ministers, and mem- 
 bership. 
 
 " Q. Have the local ministers and members any repre- 
 sentatives in the law-making- department ? 
 
 " A. No, it is denied that they have any right, either nat- 
 ural or acquired, to representation. (See the report of the 
 General Conference of 1828.) 
 
 " Q. Hov^ did the travelling preachers get the power to 
 legislate for the local preachers and members without their 
 consent ? 
 
 " A. They assumed it. 
 
 "Q. Is it not contended by many, that they have a suffi- 
 cient check upon their rulers, by withholding their pecunia- 
 ry contributions, and consequently, the support of the min- 
 istry ? 
 ' "A. Many use this argument and think it unanswerable. 
 
 " Q. Is it not a good argument ? 
 
 " A. No; 1st. Because it could never be effected; for 
 though some might withhold their support, others would not, 
 and in such case, the deficiency could be supplied from the 
 immense book and chartered fund, which is entirely under 
 the control of the ministers. **** 4th. It would be the ve- 
 ry essence of rebellion, and it must be a bad government, in- 
 deed, which has no other remedy for existing evils but re- 
 bellion."— /6., pp. 11—14. 
 
 "Q. How are the members brought to trial in the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church ? 
 
 " A. Before the society, or a select number, in the pre- 
 sence of a bishop, elder, deacon or preacher. 
 
 " Q. What time is allowed the accused to prepare for 
 trial ? 
 
 " A. This depends entirely on the will of the preacher in 
 charge; he may be brought up forthwith.
 
 70 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 " Q. Can the accused have his choice, whether he will be 
 tried before the society, or a select number ? 
 
 " A. No, the preacher decides, and tries him accordingly. 
 
 " Q. Who appoints the jury to try the accused ? 
 
 "A. The preacher in charge. 
 
 " Q. Is there any inconvenience arising out of this power, 
 exercised by the preacher in charge ? 
 
 "A. Yes, he can pick a jury, either favourable or unfa- 
 vourable to the accused, as he may stand affected. 
 
 " Q. Is the right of challenge secured to the accused ? 
 
 " A. No, his enemies may be kept on or removed at the 
 pleasure of the preacher. 
 
 " Q. Are there any privileges secured to the accused ? 
 
 "A. He is allowed an appeal to the next Quarterly Con- 
 ference. 
 
 " Q. Upon whom are a majority of the members of the 
 Quarterly Conference dependent for their office ? 
 
 " A. On the preacher in charge, as he appoints all the 
 leaders; these generally make a majority. He nominates the 
 stewards, licenses the exhorters, &c. 
 
 " Q. May not the conference thus constituted, be consid- 
 ered in the case of appeals, as the preacher's jury ? 
 
 "A. Yes. 
 
 " Q. With all these advantages may he not turn out or 
 keep in whom he pleases ? 
 
 " A. It does appear so.'' — lb., pp. 23 a7id 24. 
 
 The following extracts are taken from a monthly periodi- 
 cal, entitled, " Mutual Rights of the Ministers and Members 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Edited by a commit- 
 tee of ministers and laymen:" — All of whom were, at the 
 time, in connexion with the church, and some of whom 
 had been for many years in the travelling and local ministry. 
 The main design of this periodical was in fact, to effect a
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 71 
 
 peaceable reform of the government of their church; and had 
 they been allowed to proceed in their labours, they would, 
 no doubt, have succeeded. But as the bishops and travelling 
 preachers were unable to compete with their superior talents 
 and intelligence, or answer their weighty and conclusive 
 arguments and proofs, they were arraigned before a "select 
 number," and conveniently expelled from the church, for " in- 
 veighing against the discipline !" — But to the extracts: — 
 
 "To me, no principle or maxim under heaven, appears 
 more plain and self-evident, than that free men should, either 
 in their own persons, or in their representatives, have a voice 
 in making the laws that are to govern them. Plain as this 
 maxim is, however, it is controverted and denied by the ene- 
 mies of reform. They say, that free men (other than travel- 
 ling ministers) have no right to legislate for the church — in 
 other words, that they have no right to govern themselves ! 
 Does not every one see at once the danger, as well as the 
 absurdity of such a monstrous doctrine as this ? It strikes 
 a deadly blow at the very root of religious liberty; and hence 
 we see the great propriety of a speedy reform in the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church. When such doctrines as the above 
 are openly avowed, and strongly advocated by men who have 
 all power, and all rule, and all authority in their own hands, 
 it is time, high time, that the members of our church should 
 wake up to a sense of their condition, and exert them- 
 selves by all lawful means, to obtain the liberty enjoyed by 
 the members of other protestant churches — J mean an equita- 
 ble representation. 
 
 " Although not among the laity myself, yet I am free to 
 confess, that it would rejoice my heart to see ihcm raised 
 from their present degradation, and occupying an honoura- 
 ble seat in the law-making department of the church. This 
 is their just and obvious right; and lo withhold it from them,
 
 72 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 is illiberal and unjust in the extreme. **** Yes, sir, I love 
 my church, I love her doctrines, &c., and I would to God, 
 that she had such a form of government, as that I could in 
 truth, say — I love that too. But, alas ! here candour obli- 
 ges me to stop: I can go no further. I cannot act the hypo- 
 crite, and say I love the government, when I do not. How 
 can I love a government that is arbitrary and oppressive in 
 its nature ? — That withholds from free men their just and 
 dearest rights — the right of suffrage — the right of self-gov- 
 ernment — the right of equal representation. No, indeed, 
 sir, I can no more love such a government as this, than I 
 can change the essential properties of my nature. I cannot, 
 I will not love what I conceive to be essentially and radi- 
 cally wrong." — Vol. /., pp. 48 and 49. 
 
 " Let us examine a few particulars, which constitute parts 
 of the system^' — [that is, of the government and discipline 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church.] 
 
 "1. The travelling ministry possess exclusively the le- 
 gislative power, which they exercise over the whole body 
 of the laity and local preachers without responsibility. 
 
 "2. The travelling ministry, independently of the mem- 
 bership, appoint all the class leaders. 
 
 " 3. They nominate all the stewards, and the Quarterly 
 Conferences, a majority of which are class leaders, make 
 their election out of the nominations of the preachers. 
 
 "4. They nominate all trustees, and the trustees, out of 
 the nominations, according to the discipline, fill all vacan- 
 cies in their boards. 
 
 " 5. They appoint the committees for the trial of accused 
 members, and the accused have no legal right to object to 
 any person so appointed by the preacheis. 
 
 " 6. In all cases of trial, the travelling preacher sits as 
 judge. He may summon any accused member to trial, and
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. I'd 
 
 is not obliged to furnish the accused witli specifications of 
 complaints or charges, until the parties meet at the time and 
 place of trial; — thus rendering it impossible for the accused 
 to prepare for his defence. The accused member has no le^ 
 gal right to demand a postponement. And however hard 
 the decision, he must submit, saving only, that he has an 
 appeal to the Quarterly Meeting Conference, a tribunal so 
 constituted, that a majority of its members ai'e class leaders, 
 men exclusively appointed to office by the travelling preach- 
 ers. If the preacher's committee should acquit the accused, 
 and the acquittal should not meet the approbation of the 
 preacher, he may carry up the case to the Quarterly Meet- 
 ing Conference, and try the accused member over again, be- 
 fore that body." — (This extract is contained in an arti- 
 ticle signed by the Rev. Messrs. " Samuel K. Jennings, Al- 
 exander McCaine, Daniel E. Reese, James R. Williams,'' 
 and eight others.) — lb., vol. III., pp. 135 — 137, 
 
 Again, " that the travelling preachers are in possession of 
 all povs^er and authority in the church, it is presumed, no per- 
 son who is at all acquainted with our economy, will pre- 
 tend, for a moment, to deny. If, however, this should be 
 called in question by any man, I would ask him, if any 
 one, except travelling preachers, can vote at the election of 
 members for the General Conference, where all the laws of the 
 church are made ? I would ask further, if any, except trav- 
 elling preachers, are at all eligible to the conference ? **** I 
 ask again, whether the whole membership can appoint or dis- 
 place a single class leader? and whether the travelling preach- 
 er has not the power to do both at his own good pleasure, 
 asking no questions; just as the lord of a manor would ap* 
 point his steward, or as the owner of a plantation would ele- 
 vate or depose one of his servants. And when the itinerant 
 preacher has at any time exercised his prerogative, and a 
 10
 
 74 UOVERNAIENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 class leader has been put up, or put down, have the class 
 any right to say a word in the way of disapprobation ? 
 And I would ask yet again, if a steward, or trustee be want- 
 ed, whether the travelling preacher does not name his man? 
 and whether the members can appoint any other person ex- 
 cept the one so nominated by the preacher ? In like man- 
 ner, if any member be charged with immoral conduct, wheth- 
 er the travelling preacher has not the power to appoint the 
 committee for the trial of the case? and this too, without 
 check or restriction, although it gives an opportunity, if at 
 any time such opportunity might be sought, to pack a jury ! 
 Does he not himself sit as judge of the court on the trial? 
 Has he not the power of summoning persons to trial, forth- 
 with, without furnishing any specification of the charges 
 preferred against them ? And has any person, when about 
 to be tried, a right to object to those who may be appointed 
 to sit on his case, however certain he may be of their preju- 
 dice against him ! **** If in any particular instance, a socie- 
 ty should be dissatisfied with the decision of a committee, 
 have they the right of an appeal ? Does not the travelling 
 preacher alone possess this right? And if he should think 
 fit to disapprove of an appeal, is not the society without re- 
 dress ? Can any person, except a travelling preacher, have 
 any thing to do with the hook concern ? Does not the discip- 
 line recommend, that all church property be deeded to the 
 use of the travelling preachers, which, of course, in all pos- 
 sible cases, is lodged in the hands of men of their own 
 choosing ? 
 
 " Does not the conference dispose of all monies without 
 rendering any account to the members ? In a word, are not 
 all the temporal concerns of the church, directly or indirect- 
 ly, at the disposal of the travelling preachers ? The travel- 
 ling preachers, then, must be the fountain from whom all
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 75 
 
 power flows. Without Iheni, tlicro can be no class leaders, 
 no steward, no tnistoc, no meeting-house, no appropriation 
 of money, no trial of members, nor can any member be re- 
 ceived into the church, or taken upon trial. Without them 
 the church can have no laws; for they elect each other to the 
 legislative councils of the church. Without them the gov- 
 ernment cannot be administered; for they have the executive 
 power exclusively in their own hands. In fact, they have 
 charge of, and do govern and rule the temporal and spiritual 
 concerns of the church. And all this heaven and earth 
 moves at their nod. The whole membership, with the lo- 
 cal preachers, exhorters, stewards and trustees, to help them, 
 cannot i"nake one class leader, nor do any thing else without 
 a travelling preacher. He must point his finger or give his 
 nod, or the wheels of our Zion must stand still. 
 
 " Are the local preachers and lay members of the church, 
 so incompetent to self-government, and so entirely unwor- 
 thy of trust and confidence, that they ought to be thus care- 
 fully and entirely proscribed ? Why else are they placed at 
 such a distance ? Why this studied solicitude to keep them 
 under foot ? Why all this sensibility, wli^n their degraded 
 situation is complained of? Why all this jealousy and this 
 fear, lest they should have a check upon the power exercised 
 over them ? 
 
 " Are travelling preachers the only wise men living, and 
 will wisdom die with them? Is all the virtue in the church 
 treasured up in themselves ? Do they alone care for the 
 things of Jesus Christ ? And have they alone the necessa- 
 ry wisdom to seek after them and secure them ? This ap- 
 pears to be the language of our government. The language 
 of the men, who hold the reins in their hands. Where is 
 humility in all this? It is certainly too much for humble 
 men to say all this of themselves. It would be enough to
 
 76 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 hear it from the lips of others. Is there no danger to be ap- 
 prehended from such great and irresponsible power ? Is it 
 not known, that a sudden induction into it, generates pride 
 and ambition ? And does it not tend to produce a spirit of 
 resistance or debasement in those over whom it is exercis- 
 edV'-^lb., vol. I., pp. 469—471. 
 
 Once more, — " These august law-makers" [travelling 
 preachers] " are free from all restraint. — First, they are free 
 from the restraints of representation: no delegate of the peo- 
 ple can open his mouth in their legislative assemblies. Se- 
 condly, they are free from constitutional restraint: for though 
 they have a little instrument of their own making, which they 
 call a constitution, yet it is evident to common sense, that 
 it is no constitution of the people, and the makers of it can 
 alter it when they please, without the people having a sin- 
 gle voice in the matter. Thirdly, they are free from any re- 
 straint of scripture: for in their law-book, we read, that 
 when members have broken their rules of discipline, ' if they 
 do not amend, let him who has the charge of the circuit ex- 
 clude them,' [the church] ' showing that they are laid aside 
 for a breach of our rules of discipline, and not for immoral eon- 
 duct.' Thus it stands glaring in the open face of heaven, that 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church claims authority to expel 
 members from the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, who are 
 guilty of no breach of his laws, (not for immoral conduct) 
 hut merely because they have violated such ' rules of our dis- 
 cipline' as, according to her own confession, involve no im- 
 morality ! It is evident, if the church has authority to make 
 one such law, she has authority to make a thousand: of 
 course, she can make laws, and expel members, indepen- 
 dently of Divine revelation." — lb., vol. III., pp. 253 and2b4. 
 The following extracts are taken from the letters of the 
 Rev. S. S. Schraucker, D, D., Professor of Theology in the
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 77 
 
 German Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg, published some 
 years since in " the Gettysburg Star and Republican Ban- 
 ner," in a controversy with a Methodist itinerant preacher, 
 of the name of Young, who had taken exception to certain 
 remarks made by the professor in his work, entitled, " Popu- 
 lar Theology." — The Dr. in one of his letters thus writes: — 
 
 " But it is not to the episcopacy as such, but to the fact, 
 that the itinerant preachers, with these bishops, assumed in 
 this republican country, all the legislative and executive pow- 
 ers of the church, that we apply the terms rank aristocracy. 
 That the Rev. Mr. Young, if better informed on the history 
 of his own church, would not have been so sensitive at my 
 remarks, and that I have asserted nothing new, will clearly 
 appear. 
 
 " I. Mr. Wesley himself avowed that his system was not 
 ' republican,' that it was aristocratic. In a letter to Mr. John 
 Mason, dated near London, Jan. 13th, 1790, he says, — 
 ' My dear brother — As long as I live, the people shall have 
 no share in choosing either stewards or leaders among the 
 Methodists. We have not, and never had such a custom. 
 We are no republicans , and never intend to be.'' — (London 
 Wesleyan Mag., April, 1830.) This language from a loyal 
 subject of Great Britain, is not remarkable; but that the tra- 
 velling preachers, after our glorious revolution, should still 
 deny to the people all participation in the legislative judicat- 
 ories of the church, we view in a different light. 
 
 " II. The powers of the travelling preachers have been 
 pronounced aristocratic, and regarded as such, by some of 
 the most distinguished, adhering and seceding ministers of 
 the Methodist Church ! It is well known that a very large 
 portion of the Methodist Church in this country, laboured 
 for a season to reform the aristocratic features of their gov- 
 ernment, and were expelled from the church for the atttempt.
 
 78 GOV^KRNMF-NT ANIJ DISriPLINE, 
 
 Is it not true, then, that il, is ' dangerous' for a Methodist 
 minister to speak against their discipline ? And is it not 
 laughable, to hear the Rev. Mr. Young assert, that the fail- 
 ure of the laity as a body to ask their right of representation 
 in the conference, is the reason why it has not been granted; 
 when it is a notorious fact, that those who ventured to ask, 
 were expelled ? But some of the most distinguished, adher- 
 ing Methodists in the land, have pronounced the same judg- 
 ment. Dr. Coke, the same as bishop Coke, in a printed 
 circular, dated Wilmington, Del., May 4th, 1791, termed it 
 an ' arbitrary aristocracy.' — (Methodist Prot., p. 244.) 
 ' Bishop McKendree and Mr. O'Kelley actually withdrew, 
 because of the unwarrantable assumptions of the conference.' 
 — (lb., p. 244.) — And Ezekiel Cooper, of the Philadelphia 
 Conference, declares that in the violent debate which then 
 occurred on this subject, Mr. McKendree observed, ' it is an 
 insult to my understanding, and such an arbitrary stretch of 
 power, so tyrannical (or) despotic, that I cannot (or) will 
 not submit to it.' — (lb., p. 244) We suppose, then, that 
 out of the mouth of two such respectable witnesses, two of 
 the first Methodist bishops in this country, the matter might 
 be considered as ' established:' and if Mr. Young had re- 
 flected on these things, he had better said nothing about 
 them. But as an American, we are opposed to having this 
 point decided by mere authority, even of such witnesses, and 
 will resort to facts. 
 
 "III. We shall now demonstrate by an actual induction of 
 particiilars, that the declarations of these men, who pro- 
 nounced the system aristocratic , as the ' Popular Theology' 
 also does, spoke the truth. In doing this, we shall purpose- 
 ly avoid enlarging on the odiousness of that system, by 
 w^iich the travelling preachers usurp exclusively to them- 
 selves those numerous privileges, which in other churches
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 79 
 
 are shared between the laity and clergy. Nor shall we stop 
 to prove, either from reason or history, what the ablest wri- 
 ters on political philosophy all admit, the ultimate and cer- 
 tain connexion between civil and religious liberty, or there- 
 verse. These matters I leave to the conscientious reflec- 
 tions of my Methodist brethren themselves, who I am per- 
 suaded, are in politics as good republicans as others, al- 
 though, in religion, they are submitting to a clerical aristo- 
 cracy, inconsistent in my judgment with those unalienable 
 rights, which God and his word adjudge to them. By aris- 
 tocracy, says Dr. Beattie, is meant a government which 
 ' puts the balance of power in the hands of a few, who are 
 equal or nearly equal among themselves,' &c. And, in the 
 general sense of the term, by aristocracy, is meant the ex- 
 clusive assumption or possession of those rights and privi- 
 leges by a few, to which others have also a just claim. Of 
 this character we regard the following privileges of the Meth- 
 odist travelling preachers: — 
 
 "I. Their exclusive right of suffrage in the election of 
 delegates to the general convention, and of bishops. In 
 the Lutheran, German Reformed, Presbyterian, Episcopa- 
 lian and all other Protestant Churches, the laity aid in elect- 
 ing the highest efficer, be he a bishop, president, or modera- 
 tor; as also in choosing the delegates to their highest judi- 
 catory, be it termed a General Synod, or Assembly, or 
 Convention. 
 
 " 2. Their exclusive eligibility^ both to the Annual and 
 General Conferences. In the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Re-" 
 formed. Episcopal and all other churches, laymen are eligi- 
 ble to all the judicatories of the church. 
 
 " 3. Their exclusive unlimited power to legislate for the 
 whole church, in matters of doctrine, discipline, forms of 
 worship, and minor regulations — ' full powers to make rules
 
 80 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 and regulations for the church.' **** In the Lutheran, Epis- 
 copalian, Presbyterian and all other churches known to me, 
 the laity form part of the judicatories, which alone have 
 the right to legislate on these subjects. 
 
 " 4. Their exclusive right to sit in judgment on the moral 
 conduct of travelling preachers. In all other churches, such 
 trials are conducted jointly by laymen and ministers. 
 
 "5. Their exclusive right ^of appointing all committees 
 for the trial of lay members accused of immorality, without 
 the power on the part of the accused, to challenge any 
 member of such committee, though he could prove him his 
 bitterest enemy. This is not so in any other church in our 
 land. 
 
 "6. Their exclusive right to control and conduct the en- 
 tire book concern, and appropriate its extensive profits ex- 
 clusively to their own benefit. In all other churches known 
 to us, such matters are under the joint management of lay- 
 men and clergy. 
 
 " 7. Their exclusive right of eligibility to editorship of 
 the periodicals of the Methodist Church; local preachers and 
 laymen being excluded by the discipline. In no other church 
 is such an exclusive privilege enjoyed. 
 
 " 8. Their exclusive right to hold and control all the 
 Methodist Churches and parsonages deeded according to the 
 discipline, to say who shall, and who shall not occupy them, 
 without consulting the wishes of the laity, who paid for 
 them. Even the trustees are nominated exclusively by the 
 travelling preachers ! In every other Pjotestant Church in 
 the land, each congregation owns and has control of its own 
 parsonage and church. 
 
 " 9. Their exclusive right to fix the amount of their own 
 salary, that is, the amount to which they may retain their 
 collections, and receive their dividend from the several funds.
 
 GOVERNMKNT AND DISCII'LINK. 81 
 
 In every other church, salary is jointly fixed by the laymen 
 and minister. 
 
 "JO. The exclusive right of their bishops to determine 
 what ministers each congregation shall have, without con- 
 sulting the judgment of the people. In all other churches 
 of our land, the congregation invites whom they think best 
 suited to them. 
 
 "11. Their entire irresponsibility to the jyeople for all their 
 acts, legislative, judicial and executive — and for their dis- 
 tribution of the extensive funds possessed by them. **** 
 
 " Here then, if the Rev. Mr. Young will have the proofs 
 of aristocracy, let him take them." 
 
 The following extracts are from the pen of the Rev. H. 
 B. Bascom, a distinguished preacher, still in connexion with 
 the itinerant ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 They were written while he and others were endeavouringto 
 effect a reform in their church, and were designed to show 
 its necessity. Why he should have continued to adhere to 
 such a government, after his reforming brethren were ex- 
 pelled, and had organized themselves into a church accord- 
 ing to the principles which he as well as they so earnestly in- 
 sisted upon, it is not for us to say. But the truth remains 
 the same, and cannot be affected by the inconsistency of its 
 advocates. — The extracts are copied from a paper, entitled, 
 "Declaration of Rights:"— 
 
 " As all men are essentially equal, in their rights, wants, 
 and interests, it follows from these, that representative gov- 
 ernment, is the only legitimate human rule, to which any 
 people can submit. It is the only kind of government that 
 can possibly reconcile, in any consistent way, the claims of 
 authority, with the advantages of liberty. A prescriptive 
 legislative body, making laws without the knowledge or 
 consent of the people to be governed by them, is a despot- 
 11
 
 82 GOVERNMENT AND t)IS'ClPLlNE. 
 
 ISM. Legislators without constituents, or peers and fellow^, 
 deputing tiiein, as their representatives and actors — thus con* 
 stituting themselves a legislature beyond the control of the 
 people, is an exhibition of tyranny in one of its most dan- 
 gerous forms. In the momentous affairs of government, 
 nothing should be made the exclusive property of a few, 
 which by right, belongs to all, and may be safely and ad* 
 vantageously used by the rightful proprietors. The justice 
 of every government, depends essentially upon the original 
 consent of the people;— this privilege belongs to every com- 
 munity, in right of the law of nature; and no man, or mul- 
 titude of men, can alter, limit, or diminish it. ConstitU' 
 tional law is an expression of the will of the people, and 
 their concurrence in its formation, either personally, or by 
 representation, is essential to its ligitimate authority." — 
 ^7i. 4. 
 
 " No community can be said, without mockery, to have 
 a constitution, where there is a consolidation of the different 
 powers of government in the hands of the same men, and 
 the remaining portion are left, of course, without any se- 
 curity FOR their rights. "^76., art. 5. 
 
 " A government uniting the legislative^ judicial^ and ex- 
 ecutive powers in the hands of the same men, is an absurdi- 
 ty in theory, and in practice, tyranny. The executive 
 power, in every government, should be subordinate to the leg- 
 islative, and the judicial, independent of both. — Whenever, 
 therefore, it happens, that these three departments of gov- 
 ernment are in the hands of the same body of men, and these 
 men not the representatives of the people, first making the 
 laws, then executing them, and finally the sole judges of 
 their own acts, there is no liberty, the people are virtu- 
 ally enslaved, and liable to be ruined at any time." — Ih,^ 
 art. 6.
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE, O-i 
 
 *' Expedience and right are different things. Nothing: 
 is expedient that is unjust. — Necessity and convenience, may 
 render a form of government useful and effective for a time, 
 which afterward, under a change of circumstances, and an 
 accumulation of responsibility, may become oppressive and 
 intolerable. That system of things, which cannot be justi- 
 fied by the word of God, and the common sense of man- 
 kind, can never be expedient. Submission to power, gra- 
 dually and insidiously usurped, should seldom or never be 
 received as proof of the legitimate consent of the people, to 
 the peculiar form of government, by which they are oppressed; 
 as such submission may be the result of principles, attach- 
 ments, and energies, which owe their existence to causes for- 
 eign from the government, which is supposed to produce them. 
 Peaceable submission by the people, to a system of govern- 
 ment, can never be construed into a proper approval of it, as 
 one of their own choice; for, as men by birth and education, 
 may become the subjects of a form of civil government, they 
 do not approve, so thousands may be born into the kingdom 
 of God, and nurtured in his family, under forms of ecclesias- 
 tical polity, materially inconsistent with the lights and notices 
 of revelation on this subject. The continued sufferance and 
 submission of the people, so far from proving the divine right 
 of those who govern, does not even furnish proof of any right 
 at all, except the claim which arises from mere forbear^ 
 ance.^' — 76., art. 11. 
 
 As an additional evidence of the anti-republican and ty- 
 rannical nature of the government and discipline of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, I may state, that the most ear- 
 nest remonstrances and petitions have, from time to time 
 been presented to the General Conference on this subject — 
 public meetings of their people have been held, in various 
 places, at which the strongest resolutions have been passed 
 against the government — and numerous secessions have ta--
 
 84 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ken place, in consequence of the refusal of iheir rulers to 
 grant the desired reform. 
 
 We have seen with what indignation Dr. Coke and Mr. 
 McKendree denounced the government: — the former, as an 
 " arbitrary aristocracy" — and the latter, as " such an arbitra- 
 ry stretch of power, so tyrannical (or) despotic, that he could 
 not (or) v.-ould not submit to it," and that he actually with- 
 drew, " because of the unwarrantable assumptions of the 
 conference!" 
 
 So also we find, that as early as 1794, the people were 
 very much dissatisfied — and earnestly insisted upon their 
 right of representation. — "This," says Mr. Lee, "was a 
 year of great trouble and distress among the Methodists in 
 the southern states, partly owing to the divisions that had 
 taken place, as mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and part- 
 ly to an uneasy and restless spirit that prevailed in many pla- 
 ces, both among our local preachers and private members. 
 Some of them contended that the local preachers ought to 
 have a seat and a vote in all our conferences; and others said, 
 there ought to be a delegation of lay members." — Lee^s 
 Short History, page 213. 
 
 " The history of the Methodist Episcopal Church presents 
 a melancholy picture of strife and division; one upon which 
 we could dilate; but w^e forbear. The truth is, from its or- 
 ganization down to the present time, it has been one con- 
 tinued scene of secret heart burning, or open contention. 
 It never had perfect peace, it never will have perfect peace 
 under the present form of government. Let us not be cen- 
 sured, then, for exhibiting what we believe to be a plain and 
 honest statement of facts; but let our censure be turned 
 against the cause, and let us all unite to put it away from us 
 forever." — McCaine\ Hist.., page 69. 
 
 Not many years since, an extensive and systematic effort 
 was made to effect a reform in the jjovernment of the Meth-
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 85 
 
 odist Episcopal Church. Some of the most venoral)h' and 
 distinguished clergy connected with the itinerant and local 
 ministry, together with many of the most intelligent and 
 respectable lay members, united in this highly necessary and 
 laudable effort. They published the monthly periodical called 
 the " Mutual Rights," and farmed " Union Societies" in va- 
 rious places, for the purpose of forwarding their views. 
 They discussed the subject with remarkable ability; and 
 proved, beyond all doubt, the urgent necessity of reform: 
 but, in the midst of their useful and increasingly successful 
 labours, many of them were arraigned on the charge of " in- 
 veighing against the discipline !" and were expelled from 
 the church ! ! — (Those who desire to see an interesting ac- 
 count of their arbitrary trial and unrighteous expulsion, are 
 referred to the venerable Dr. Jennings's " Exposition," and 
 for such an apology as the case admitted of, to a pamphlet, 
 entitled "Narrative and Defence.") The reformers subse- 
 quently organized themselves into the church, designated 
 " The Methodist Protestant Church^'''' to which a considera- 
 ble number of seceders from the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 both clerical and lay, in various parts of the country, united 
 themselves. And from the time of their organization until 
 now, they have been steadily increasing, both in numbers 
 and influence; — and we cordially bid them God speed, in 
 their efforts to extend the principles of equitable government 
 and Christian liberty. 
 
 As a specimen of the resolutions passed by the Methodist 
 people in their primary assemblies, occasioned by the arbi- 
 trary and tyrannical proceedings of tlieir clerical rulers to- 
 wards the reformers, I will transcribe the following: — • 
 
 " Resolutions of the male members, at Kensington, Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 " At a general meeting of the male members of the Ken- 
 sington Methodist Episcopal Church, convened agreeably to
 
 86 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 previous notice, in said church, on the cveninp; of the 17th 
 inst. Mr. Jolin Vaughan, beinf^ called to the chair, and Mr. 
 George J. Hamilton, appointed secretary. The design and 
 object of the meeting being briefly stated, after which a com- 
 mittee was appointed to draft resolutions expressing the sense 
 of the society ; the following preamble and resolutions were 
 separately read, discussed, and unanimously adopted. 
 
 " Preamble. 
 
 " Whereas, the members of this church have understood, 
 with sincere regret, that a war of extermination lias been in 
 a state of progression, by the church rulers in the city of 
 Baltimore, against the friends of equal representation in that 
 city, and being apprehensive, that consequences the most se- 
 rious, are likely to result from the exercise of such arbitrary 
 power to suppress freedom of inquiry. 
 
 "Therefore, resolved 1st. That it is the unquestionable 
 right and privilege of every individual, to examine into the 
 character of our church polity; freely and fully to expose its 
 defects; and respectfully to suggest any alterations and modi- 
 fications, which reason, experience, observation and revela- 
 tion may dictate. 
 
 " Resolved 2d. That the arbitrary and uncontrolled pow- 
 ers vested in the ministry, have been, and will continue to 
 be, the ostensible cause of much uneasiness and affliction to 
 the laity, and, if it be correct to form an opinion from the 
 past and present movements of some of our rulers, is likely 
 to convulse to its centre our Zion. 
 
 " Resolved Sdly. That our brethren in Baltimore, who 
 have been pointing out the defects of our present adminis- 
 tration, and pleading the necessity of an alteration in it, so 
 as to recognize the grand representative principle, have been 
 engaged in a good work, following the dictates of enlight-
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 87 
 
 ened reason, supported by revelation, and deserve the thanksj 
 support, and well wishes of all good men. 
 
 " Resolved Athly. That the arbitrary power, exercis- 
 ed by the Rev. J. M. Hanson, in the city of Baltimore, 
 in suspending the local preachers, and expelling the private 
 members from the church, for opposing the present organi- 
 zation of power and legislation in our church, is calculated 
 to widen the breach already too v^'ide; and if persisted in, 
 will inevitably produce consequences the most alarming and 
 distressing to every real lover of the church. 
 
 " Resolved bthly. That in the opinion of this society, the 
 principle of an equal representation of the whole church in 
 her legislative department, is sacred and important to the 
 liberty and happiness of myriads yet unborn, and that to 
 suspend ministers or expel members from the church, for ad- 
 vocating the mutual rights, both of the ministry and mem- 
 bership, is a shameful departure from the political maxims 
 contained in the Declaration of Independence, a setting at 
 defiance the unalienable rights of Christ's freemen, and a 
 positive proof, that our government is not altogether consti- 
 tuted in accordance with liberal and republican principles. 
 
 ^^ Resolved 6th and lastly. That the secretary of this meet- 
 ing be requested to furnish duplicate copies of the foregoing 
 pre-amble and resolutions, one of which shall be sent to the 
 editorial committee for insertion in the Mutual Rights, and 
 the other to the Rev. J. M. Hanson. 
 
 " John Vaughan, chairman. Attest, G. J. Hamilton, se- 
 er eiRry.''^-— Mutual Rights, vol, IV., pp. 213 and 214. 
 
 Further, in the deliberate judgment of some of the most 
 intelligent Methodists, who were for many years connected 
 with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and who may be sup- 
 posed, therefore, to be best acquainted with this subject — • 
 the tendency of the government of that church is highly dan- 
 gerous to the civil liberties of the United States. The testi-
 
 88 GOVEllNMENT AND DISCII'LINK. 
 
 mony which they have publicly borne on this subject is very 
 decided; and their earnest warning should be seriously pon- 
 dered by the whole country. 
 
 " The right to be represented" — says the Rev. Mr. Bas- 
 com — " where law is made to govern, is not only essential 
 to civil freedom, but is equally the basis of religious liber- 
 ty. Civil and religious liberty are intimately connected, 
 they usually live and die together, and he who is the friend 
 of the one, cannot consistently be the enemy of the other. '^ 
 — Dec. of Rights, art. 9. 
 
 " Many perceive" — says Dr. Jennings — " distinctly, the 
 tendencies of the present system, to prepare the people, some 
 day, to approve aristocratical and monarchical principles in 
 civil government." — Mutual Rights, vol. I.., p. 174. 
 
 " For in the same })roportion" — says " a layman" — " as 
 we become attached to one system of government, we im- 
 perceptibly lose our affection for that which is opposed to it,, 
 in principle, even should one be ecclesiastical, and the other 
 political or civil; and it has generally been the case, that 
 men's views of civil poilicy, have yielded very much to their 
 religious opinions. Such, at least, w^as the casein Europe, 
 generally, before the reformation. It was not, however, un- 
 til the pope and clergy, had usurped all authority in the 
 church, and wrested from the people their primitive rights, 
 that they attempted to exercise any controlling influence in 
 the state, but after this was effected, the other was easily ac- 
 complished. This was also the case in England, after the 
 reforuiation. It will be recollected, that the bishops and 
 clergy of the episcopal hierarchy in England, during the 
 reigns of the Stuarts, very generally, if not universally, 
 supported these tyrants in their iniquitous proceedings. It 
 was a favourite doctrine of James the First — no bishop, no 
 king. And it was to the liberal policy and republican prin- 
 ciples of the Presbyterians and Baptists, that England was
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 89 
 
 nd of those tyrants. This difference of sentiment, so unani- 
 mous in the different sects, can only be attributable to those 
 principles which they had respectively imbibed in their 
 churches. We find those that favoured clerical dominion, 
 ready to support kingly despotism; and those that were edu- 
 cated in liberal church principles, carried them with their po- 
 litics of state, and resisted kingly despotism with as much 
 zeal as they did the ghostly dominion of the church. It is 
 to those liberal spirits, who, to escape from the tyranny of 
 the church and state in England, in the commencement of 
 the seventeenth century emigrated to America, bringing their 
 republican principles with them, and transmitting them to 
 their children, that we are indebted for our present blessings 
 and privileges." — Mutual Rights, vol. I., pp. 444 and 445. 
 " The unyielding struggles of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church" — says the Rev. Mr. Shinn — " against this righte- 
 ous and valuable enterprize," [ecclesiastical reform,] "and 
 the determined spirit of preachers and people, to resist all 
 our efforts, are so far from furnishing an argument against 
 the correctness of our views, that a very strong reason hence 
 arises, to stimulate us to perseverance. For if it be a fact, 
 that in the heart of this American republic, where liberal 
 principles of government have been instilled into our minds 
 from our cradles, a most formidable stand is made against 
 the same principles, when urged in the church, it convinc- 
 ingly appears, that ecclesiastical power has an amazing in- 
 fluence over the minds of the people; and of consequence 
 will ultimately endanger the liberties of this nation, unless 
 arrested in its sovereign course, by efforts proportioned to 
 the magnitude of the object. That such a stand should be 
 made against our principles of reform, in this country, is 
 surely one of the wonders of the world; and must convince 
 all reflecting minds, that few things in nature are more in- 
 12
 
 90 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 fatuating, or calculated to get a firmer hold of the human souJ^ 
 than ecclesiastical poioer. That the principles of absolute 
 monarchy should have started up in the Methodist Church, in 
 this free country, commencing at the period of our revolu-' 
 tion; that they should have grown with our growth, and 
 strengthened with our strength; that they should have spread 
 their influence from the centre to the circumference of our 
 nation, at a time when sound republican principles appeared 
 to be universally regarded as our national happiness and 
 glory, is truly a wonder which deserves the attention of our 
 enlightened and patriotic statesmen. '**'** Now, what is the 
 obvious, indubitable inference, from these facts? It is, that 
 ecclesiastical power is more to be dreaded by mankind, than 
 any other species of power, exercised under the sun. For if it 
 can get such a hold of the public mind, in a country like ours, 
 what can it not do, when surrounding circumstances are all 
 favourable to its progress ? Bleeding Europe has long ago 
 answered this very serious question. Let America learn how 
 to answer it, while that answer may serve to save the dearest 
 enjoyments of all her children, and not wait until the answer 
 will have to be received in forlorn and dreadful silence; and 
 "When all argument and remonstrance will be in vain, as they 
 were in ' the holy inquisition.' " — Mutual Rights, vol. III., 
 pp. 139—140. 
 
 "That the church is in danger of being corrupted" — says "A 
 Layman" — " in consequence of the powers held by the travel- 
 ling ministers cannot be doubted; for the desire to possess 
 power and exercise authority is strongly marked in the human 
 character. Where power is to be obtained, man is strongly 
 tempted to resort; and where can it be found in a more com- 
 plete and extended degree than in the person of an itinerant 
 minister of the Methodist Church, who possesses the functions 
 of a legislator, a judge, and an executive officer, over those to 
 whom he is not at all responsible." — lb., vol. IL, p. 56.
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 91 
 
 Yea, it has been publicly asserted, that a great change for 
 the worse, has in fact, already taken place in the character 
 of the Methodist clergy generally. — An able writer over the 
 signature of " Luther," says—" We speak to Methodists, 
 and fearlessly inquire, if indeed the itinerants are holy, 
 harmless, and changeless, as they would have us believe them 
 to be ? Have they more of self-command than other minis- 
 ters ? are they less assuming, or do we hear more boasting 
 from any other profession of men, concerning their achieve- 
 ments ? Are they more patient of contradiction ? or less in- 
 clined to persecute those who differ from them in opinion 
 than other men ? Is not the track of some of them marked 
 with inquisitorial violence and ruin, even in this enlighten- 
 ed age and country ? If the civil authority could be called 
 in to sustain them in the work of persecution, have we not 
 reason to fear, after the recent deeds of some of them, that 
 they would soon make the prisons of the country groan with 
 their dissenting brethren ? We cheerfully admit that there 
 are many excellent men among them, but we must neverthe- 
 less ask if the last thirty years can exhibit so fearful a change 
 in any other body of ministers ? Should this deleterious 
 change progress in the same ratio for the next fifty years, 
 these western infallibles will have accomplished more in half 
 a century than the eastern infallibles of Europe did in five 
 hundred years." — Mutual Rights, vol. IV., pp. 362 and363. 
 
 Thus have we shown from their own Book — and by the 
 testimony of several of the most intelligent and competent 
 witnesses — that the government and discipline of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church are '' anti-republican and tyranni- 
 cal," and that the tendency of that ecclesiastical system is 
 highly dangerous to the civil liberty of these United States. 
 Our greatest astonishment is, that any " Methodist" should 
 have had the temerity to challenge the production of the 
 proof! Whether he, or his brethren, will now be " satis-
 
 92 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 lied," or not, we are confident that an intelligent and unpre- 
 judiced community will regard the evidence as amply " sat- 
 isfactory" — because overwhelmingly conclusive. — The evi- 
 dence deduced from the Book of Discipline — confirmed as it 
 is by the testimony of Dr. Schmucker, and that of the Rev. 
 Mr. Bascom, an adhering minister of the church — to say 
 nothing of the concurring testimony of the seceding clerical 
 and lay Reformers — is, certainly in my judgment, and I verily 
 believe will be in the judgment of every impartial reader, — 
 irresistibly decisive. 
 
 Before I leave this branch of the subject, allow me briefly 
 to call the attention of the reader, by way of contrast, to the 
 truly republican and liberal principles of the government and 
 discipline of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The constitution of the Presbyterian Chureh — comprising 
 her doctrines, form of government, discipline, and directory 
 for public worship — was originally adopted by Xhe joint vote 
 of the ministers, and the ruling elders, as the representa- 
 tives of the people: and no additional constitutional rule can 
 be introduced, or any present constitutional rule altered or 
 rescinded, without being first transmitted, by the General As- 
 sembly, to all the Presbyteries, and receiving the returns of 
 at least a majority of them, in writing, approving thereof. — 
 See Form of Government, chap. XII., sec. 6. 
 
 In all our Presbyterian judicatories, — from the Church 
 Session to the General Assembly, the people are fairly repre- 
 sented by lay members, called ruling elders. * 
 
 The Church Session, which constitutes with us a parochial 
 
 * It has been questioned whether ruling elders should be called lay 
 members, as their office is spiritual: But I use the phrase here merely for 
 the purpose of distinguishing them from ministers or preachers, which 
 they are not. And they are intended, according to the theory of Presbyte- 
 rianism, specially to represent the people: — " Ruling elders arc properly 
 the representatives of the people," &c. — Form of Gov., chap. V.
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 93 
 
 presbytery, is composed of the bishop or pastor of the con- 
 gregation, and as many ruling elders as the congregation 
 may choose to elect. This body is charged with maintain- 
 ing the spiritual government of the congregation: receives 
 members into the church, admonishes, rebukes, suspends or 
 excludes from the sacraments, those who are found, after a 
 fair trial, according to the constitutional forms prescribed by 
 the Book of Discipline, to deserve censure; concerts the best 
 measures for promoting the spiritual interests of the congre- 
 gation; and appoints delegates to the higher judicatories of 
 the church. And in all its proceedings and acts, the majori- 
 ty rules — the pastor having not even a vote, unless there be 
 a tie. — Ih., chap. IX. 
 
 "A Presbytery,^'' which is thenext court above the church 
 session, "consists of all the ministers, and one ruling elder 
 from each congregation, within a certain district." — lb., 
 chap. X. 
 
 " A Synod,^^ which is the next court above the presbytery, 
 " is a convention of the bishops and elders within a larger 
 district, including at least three presbyteries. The ratio of the 
 representation of elders in the synod is the same as in the pres- 
 bytery." — lb., chap. XL, sec. 1. 
 
 "The General .Assembly is the highest judicatory of the 
 Presbyterian Church. It shall respresent, in one body, all 
 the particular churches of this denomination." **** It 
 " shall consist of an equal delegation of bishops and elders 
 from each presbytery." — lb., chap. XII., sec. 1 and 2. 
 
 If any church member is accused of immorality, he is 
 cited to appear before the church session: the charge is sent 
 to him, in writing, with the specifications of time and place, 
 together with the names of the witnesses; and at least ten 
 days must elapse from the time of the citation before he can 
 be brought to trial. The forms of justice are likewise mi- 
 nutely prescribed for the proper conduct of the trial, and all
 
 94 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the rights of the accused carefully guarded and secured. — 
 See the Discipline^ chap. IV. and VI. 
 
 If the decision be not satisfactory to the accused, he has 
 the right to appeal to the Presbytery: — If not satisfied with 
 the decision of the presbytery, he may appeal to the Synod: 
 — And if still not satisfied, he may carry his appeal up to the 
 General Assembly. — Ib.^ chap. VII., sec. 3. Thus the hum- 
 blest member of the Presbyterian Church may have his case 
 adjudicated by the whole denomination, through its repre- 
 sentatives : — for " the radical principles of Presbyterian 
 Church government and discipline are, — that the seve- 
 ral different congregations of believers, taken collectively, 
 constitute one church of Christ, called emphatically the 
 church; — that a larger part of the church, or a representation 
 of it, should govern a smaller, or determine matters of con- 
 troversy which arise therein; — that, in like manner, a repre- 
 sentation of the whole should govern and determine in re- 
 gard to every part, and to all the parts united; that is, that a 
 majority shall govern: and consequently that appeals maybe 
 carried from lower to higher judicatories, till they be finally 
 decided by the collected wisdom and united voice of the whole 
 church.^^-See note appended to chap. XII., of the Form of Gov. 
 
 As all our Presbyterian courts are composed of an equal 
 number of clerical and lay members, so likewise all the offi- 
 cers of the church are chosen by the people. 
 
 Each Presbyterian congregation elects its board of Trus- 
 tees, who hold the parochial property, in trust, for the use of 
 the members of that particular church or congregation. And 
 these trustees are subject to the instructions of those who 
 appoint them — are elected for a limited period only — and 
 may be re-elected or not, agreeably to the wishes of a majo- 
 rity of the people. 
 
 The Deacons, whose office it is to " take care of the poor," 
 agreeably to the original design of that office, as appears
 
 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 96 
 
 from Acts 6: 1 — -4, — the deacons are elected by the people 
 and have the entire management of the funds collected in 
 the congregation for the poor. — See Form of Gov., chap. VL 
 
 " Ruling Elders are properly the representatives of the 
 people, chosen by them for the purpose of exercising govern- 
 ment and discipline, in conjunction v^ith the pastors or min- 
 isters." — 76., chap. V, If these officers should become, 
 from any cause, unacceptable to a majority of the congrega- 
 tion, they may be required to cease acting as such, or the 
 congregation may elect such additional deacons or elders as 
 shall constitute a majority of them agreeable to their vievi^s. 
 76., chap. XIIL, sec. 6 and 7. 
 
 In regard to Pastors: each congregation elects its own min- 
 ister, and fixes his salary; so that the people have always the 
 man of their choice, and the regulation of the amount of his 
 support. — lb., chap. XV. If the pastor becomes, from any 
 cause, objectionable or undesirable, the people have the right 
 to petition the Presbytery to dissolve his pastoral connexion 
 with them, that they may proceed to the election of another. 
 — In like manner, if the pastor becomes dissatisfied with the 
 people and desires the dissolution of his pastoral connexion 
 with them, he has the same privilege as the people. — 76., 
 chap. XVII. 
 
 If a minister is charged with heresy or immorality, he is 
 tried — not by ministers exclusively — but by an equal number 
 of ministers and ruling elders. 
 
 In short, nothing is done, in the Presbyterian Church, 
 without the concurrence of the people or their chosen repre- 
 sentatives. — If a private member of the church is received, 
 he is received by a vote of the church session. If a candi- 
 date for the gospel ministry is received upon trial, it must be 
 by the joint vote of the ministers and ruling elders compos- 
 ing the presbytery. If a candidate is licensed, it is by the 
 same concurrent vote. If a licentiate is ordained, or a min-
 
 96 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ister installed over any congregation, it is by the joint vote 
 of the ministers and ruling elders. So in regard to all our 
 denominational Boards of Education, Publication, and Mis- 
 sions; they are appointed by the same concurrent vote, and 
 are composed — not of ministers exclusively — but of minis- 
 ters and laymen. — In every department of the government, 
 legislative, judicial, and executive, ihe representatives of the 
 people have an equal voice with the clergy. 
 
 Thus you perceive, that the government and discipline of 
 the Presbyterian Church are eminently republican and lib- 
 eral. The people are fairly and fully represented in every 
 department, and their rights and liberties amply and con- 
 stitutionally secured. This is one reason of their firm ad- 
 herence and unchangeable attachment to their venerated 
 church. Between their pastors and themselves, there are 
 no grounds for suspicion or distrust; — nor do they love 
 their ministers the less, because they confide in the intel- 
 ligence and integrity of the people, and commend them 
 for the zealous maintenance of their unalienable rights. 
 If space allowed, we might show that, to them, under 
 God, more than to any other people, the world owes what- 
 ever of civil and religious liberty it now enjoys. And if 
 any aristocratical or monarchal sect should ever attempt 
 the destruction of public freedom, we may safely predict, 
 from the history of the past and their present unabated 
 attachment to their principles, that the Presbyterians of 
 this country, will rally to a man around the standard of 
 civil and religious liberty, and prove themselves not un- 
 worthy of the noble inheritance which they have derived 
 from the word of God and their illustrious fathers !
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CLERICAL CONTROL OF CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 The Methodist meeting houses and parsonages under the control of the 
 itinepant clergy. — Deed of settlement analyzed. — Unanimous opinion of 
 seven lawyers — and the decision of the supreme court of Pennsylvania. 
 — The chartered fund and book concern also under the entire control 
 of the clergy. — Printed circular of 1842, showing the capital of the 
 book concern to be upwards of six-hundred thousand dollars — Laymen 
 expressly excluded from any share in the management or appropria- 
 tion of these funds — Dangerous tendency of such proscription. — Testi- 
 mony of others on these subjects. — The system of Methodism in these 
 respects contrasted with Presbyterianism. 
 
 Before I proceed to prove that the Methodist clergy 
 have the entire control of their church property, I must ex- 
 pose the quibble to which some of the apologists of Meth- 
 odism resort in defending their system against this weighty 
 charge. When we allege, for example, that their meeting 
 houses and parsonages are under the control of their preach- 
 ers, they deny that they are in their individual possession, 
 and proceed to show that they are not able to dispose of 
 them and appropriate the proceeds to their private and per- 
 sonal use ! — As well might the apologists of kings deny that, 
 as such, they have not the control of " the property of the 
 crown," because they cannot sell and appropriate it to their 
 private benefit ! ! 
 
 Webster gives the following definitions: — 
 
 " Control, n. — 1. Primarily, a book, register or ac- 
 count, kept to correct or check another account or register; 
 a counter-register. Hence, check, restraint. 2. Power; au- 
 13
 
 98 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 thority; government; command. 3. He or that which re- 
 strains, 
 
 "Control, v. t. — 1. To keep under check by a coun- 
 ter-register or double account. 2, To check; to restrain; to 
 govern. 3. To overpower; to subject to authority; to coun- 
 teract; to have under command. 4. To direct or govern in 
 opposition; to have superior force or authority over. 
 
 " Controllable, a. — That may be controlled, cliecked 
 or restrained; subject to command. 
 
 "Controlled, pp. — Checked; restrained; governed. 
 
 "Controller, n. — 1. One who controls or restrains; 
 one that has the power or authority to govern or control. 2. 
 An officer appointed to keep a counter-register of accounts, or 
 to oversee, control or verify the accounts of other officers. 
 
 " Controlment, n. — 1. The poweror act of controlling; 
 the state of being restrained; control; restraint. 2. Oppo- 
 sition; resistance; counter-action; refutation." 
 
 In vain do you look among the above definitions for the 
 idea of personal possession: — the leading idea is, that of au- 
 thoritative or governmental restraint. If w^e had intended to 
 allege, that the Methodist clergy personally own the church 
 property, and therefore have the power to sell it for their pri- 
 vate use, we should have said so in just so many words. 
 But when we say that the property of their church is con- 
 trolled by their clergy, we mean precisely what the term im- 
 ports, viz: — that it is " checked, restrained, governed" by 
 them — that they have " the power or authority to govern" 
 it — that it is " subject to (their) authority" — is " under 
 (their) command" — and that they can " direct or govern (it) 
 in opposition" to the will of the people, because they " have 
 superior force or authority over" it. This is exactly what 
 we allege — and now for the proof: — 
 
 Mr. Lee in his Short History, page 234, says — " IFg" 
 (the General Conference) " also, for the first time, drew up,
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 99 
 
 and published in our general minutes, a deed, for the better 
 securing of all our meeting houses; and it was determined as 
 far as it was consistent with the laws of the different states, 
 it should he carried into effect. We concluded to have nine, 
 seven or five trustees to each house." 
 
 The Discipline says, — '^ In order, more effectually to pre- 
 vent our people from contracting debts which they are not 
 able to discharge, it shall he the duty of the Quarterly Con- 
 ference, of every circuit and station, where it is contemplated 
 to build a house or houses of worship, to secure the ground 
 or lot, on which such house or houses are to be built, ac- 
 cording to our deed of settlement, which deed must be legally 
 executed; and also said Quarterly Conference shall appoint a 
 judicious committee of at least three members of our church, 
 who shall form an estimate of the amount necessary to build; 
 and three-fourths of the money, according to such estimate, 
 shall be secured or subscribed before any such building shall 
 be commenced, 
 
 " In future, we will admit no charter, deed or conveyance, 
 for any house of worship to be used by us, unless it he pro- 
 vided in such charter, deed, or conveyance, that the trustees 
 of said house shall at all times permit such ministers and 
 preachers belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church as 
 shall from time to time be duly authorized hy the General 
 Conference of the ministers of our church, or by the Annual 
 Conferences, to preach and expound God's holy word, and 
 to execute the discipline of the church, and to administer 
 the sacraments therein, according to the true meaning and 
 purport of our deed of settlement.'''' — Dis., part II., sec. 2. 
 
 Again, in the same section of the Discipline, the deed of 
 settlement is thus introduced: — 
 
 " Ques. 4. What shall be done for the security of our 
 preaching houses, and the premises belonging thereto?
 
 100 CHURCH PROPERTV. 
 
 " ^ns. Let the following plan of a deed of settlement be 
 brought into effect in all possible cases, and as farasthelaws 
 of the states respectively will admit of it. But each Annu- 
 al Conference is authorized to make such modification in 
 the deeds as they may find the different usages and customs 
 of law require in the different states and territories, so as to 
 secure the premises firmly by deed, and permanently to the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church according to the true intent 
 and meanins: of the followino- form of a deed of settle- 
 ment; atiy thing in the said form to the contrary notwithstand- 
 ing.^'' 
 
 Then follows the deed of settlement, from which we 
 transcribe the follow^ing extracts. — After stating in the usual 
 technical form, the names of the grantor, and trustees, des- 
 cribing the property, <fcc., the indenture proceeds thus: — 
 
 " To HAVE AND TO HOLD all and singular, the above men- 
 tioned and described lot or piece of land, situate, lying, and 
 being as aforesaid, together with all and singular, the hous- 
 es, woods, waters, ways, and privileges thereto belonging, 
 or in any wise appertaining unto them the said **** and their 
 successors in office for ever in trust, that they shall erect and 
 build, or cause to be erected and built thereon, a house or 
 place of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church in the United States of America, according 
 to the rules and discipline, which from time to time may be 
 agreed upon and adopted by the mhiisters and preachers of 
 the said church, at their General Conferences in the United 
 States of America; and in farther trust and confidence that 
 they shall at all times, forever hereafter, permit such ministers 
 and preachers belonging to the said church, as shall from 
 time to time be duly authorized by the General Conference of 
 the ministers and preachers of the said Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, or by the Annual Conferences authorized by the
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 101 
 
 said General Conference, to preach and expound God's 
 holy word therein; and in farther trust and confidence, that as 
 often as any one or more of the trustees herein before men- 
 tioned, shall die, or cease to be a member or members of the 
 said church, according to the rules and discipline as afore- 
 said, then, and in such case, it shall be the duty of the sta- 
 tioned minister or preacher (authorized as aforesaid) who 
 shall have the pastoral charge of the members of the said 
 church, to call a meeting of the remaining trustees as soon 
 as conveniently may be: and when so met, the said minister 
 or preacher shall proceed to nominate one or more persons to 
 fill the place or places of him or them whose office or offices 
 has (or have) been vacated as aforesaid." 
 
 It is provided also in the deed, that if the trustees should 
 at any time be unable to pay the debt for which they have 
 become responsible, " on account of the said premises," 
 they " shall be authorized to raise the said sum or sums of 
 money, by a mortgage on the said premises, or by selling 
 the said premises, after notice given to the pastor or preacher 
 who has the oversight of the congregation attending divine 
 service on the said premises, if the money due be not paid 
 to the said trustees, or their successors, within one year af- 
 ter such notice given; and if such sale take place, the said 
 trustees, or their successors, after paying the debt and other 
 expenses which are due from the money arising from such 
 sale, shall deposite the remainder of the money produced by 
 the said sale in the hands of the steward or stewards of the 
 society belonging to or attending divine service on said 
 premises; which surplus of the produce of such sale so de- 
 posited in the hands of the said steward or stewards, shall 
 be at the disposal of the next Annual Conference authorized 
 as aforesaid; which said Annual Conference shall dispose of 
 the said money, according to the best of their judgment, for 
 the use of the said society." — Dis., part 11. .y sec. 2.
 
 102 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 Appended to Ihis form of a deed of settlement, there is 
 the following:— "N. B. Let nine trustees be appointed for 
 preaching houses, where proper persons can be procured; 
 otherwise seven or five. The board of trustees of every cir- 
 cuit or station shall be responsible to the Quarterly Meeting 
 Conference, circuit or station, and shall be required to pre- 
 sent a report of its acts during the preceding year: provided 
 that in all cases, when a new board of trustees is to be crea- 
 ted, it shall be done (except in those states and territories, 
 where the statutes provide differently) by the appointment 
 of the preacher in charge, or the presiding elder of the dis- 
 trict.''— lb. 
 
 Now, if these official documents do not prove that the 
 Methodist clergy have the " entire control" of their meeting 
 houses and parsonages, it is not only impossible to prove 
 any thing, but it is impossible for any body of men officially 
 to secure such control. That they did design by this au- 
 thoritatively enjoined and carefully constructed indenture, 
 (which looks much more like the elaborate work of " coun- 
 sellors learned in the law," than that of Methodist preach- 
 ers,) — that they did design by this deed to secure to them- 
 selves the entire control of the property of the church, there 
 can be no doubt; and we think that they have effectually ac- 
 complished their purpose. 
 
 But let us examine the evidence in detail — for the method 
 of induction is the most " satisfactory," because it is the 
 most certain. 
 
 1. It appears from the foregoing quotation from the Book 
 of Discipline, that every Quarterly Meeting Conference is 
 required to appoint a committee to estimate the cost of any 
 church which the people contemplate erecting, and that 
 " three-fourths of the money, according to such estimate, 
 shall be secured or subscribed before any such building shall 
 be commenced." — Is this not assuming the right of control?
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 103 
 
 I will say nothing of the interference with the rights of the 
 people, in the appointment, by the conference, of such a 
 committee, and the authority thus vested in the7n, to deter- 
 mine what amount is necessary for the erection of a place 
 of worship. But suppose that a congregation desired to 
 commence a house of worship, ivithout having such an 
 amount secured or subscribed, would they not be, by this 
 clerical rule, effectually " checked," or " restrained ?" Now, 
 what other body of protestant ministers, in this free coun- 
 try, would undertake to forbid any of their congregations 
 from commencing a house of worship, unless they first se- 
 cured or had subscribed a certain amount of money ? Would 
 any other people succumb to such clerical dictation, in a 
 matter purely temporal ? We know not what our Methodist 
 brethren understand by the word control — but we can as- 
 sure them that the tamest Presbyterian parish in Christen- 
 dom would scorn to submit to such a restraint as this ! Ob- 
 serve, we have said nothing relative to the expediency, or in- 
 expediency of commencing a house of worship, without 
 having such a proportion of the estimated cost secured or 
 subscribed in advance; and had the conference simply re- 
 commended that, in ordinary cases, such an amount should 
 be previously secured, we should certainly have nothing to 
 say against it; — but the rule is obligatory — the prohibition 
 universal and authoritative, and therefore an unjustifiable 
 check or restraint upon the temporal rights of the people. 
 
 2. The General Conference has made it" the duty of the 
 Quarterly Conference, to secure the ground or lot on which 
 such house or houses are to be built, according to our deed 
 of settlement." — Ih. Is not this control, — check, restraint, 
 government ? 
 
 3, " In future, we will admit no charter, deed, or con- 
 veyance, for any house of worship, to be used by us, unless
 
 104 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 it be provided in such charter,'' &c. — " accordinj^ to the true 
 meaning and purport of our deed of settlement." — lb. Is 
 not this control ? — Suppose a congregation should adopt a 
 charter, providing that their property should be for the use 
 of that particular society, and subject to the rules and regu- 
 lations which a majority of its own members should from 
 time to time adopt, would the deed be accepted by the con- 
 ference ? — Or suppose that they should prudently provide in 
 their charter, against being obliged to submit to any future 
 rules which the conference might adopt, contrary to the 
 views of a majority of the congregation, would their deed 
 be accepted ? Certainly not, — You may build the house, 
 and pay for it, say the conference to the people, but we will 
 not use it — that is, we will not preach the gospel to you, 
 or administer the sacraments in it, unless you make your 
 deed in accordance with the form which we have prescribed ! ! 
 4. It appears from the " N. B." before quoted from the 
 Discipline, " that in all cases, when a new board of trustees 
 is to be created, it shall be done (except in those states and 
 territories where the statutes provide differently) by the ap- 
 pointment of the preacher in charge, or the presiding elder of 
 the district." And in the deed of settlement it is expressly 
 provided, that if any vacancy should occur in any board of 
 trustees — the " pastor shall proceed to nominate one or more 
 persons to fill the place" — and the remaining trustees, " shall 
 proceed to elect, and by a majority of votes, appoint the per- 
 son or persons so nominated;" "and in case of an equal 
 number of votes for and against the said nomination, the sta- 
 tioned minister or preacher shall have the casting vote." — 
 Is not this control ? It might be supposed that when the 
 deed by which the parochial property is held is in accordance 
 with their prescribed form, that this would be quite sufH- 
 cient, and that the people would at least be trusted with the
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 105 
 
 privilege of appointing their own board of trustees, and of 
 filling any vacancies that should occur in them. But no, — 
 if anew board is to be created, the ^reac/ier is to appoint his 
 men — and if any vacancies occur, in boards already existing, 
 the remaining trustees must fill them up, from the nomina- 
 tions of the pastor. — Is not this control — check, restraint, 
 government ? 
 
 In reference to this, "A Methodist" says, — " The preach- 
 er has the power of nominating trustees in case of vacancy. 
 This has been said to give him control over them. If so, 
 the president of the United States, by and with the advice 
 and consent of the senate, controls the judiciary of this 
 country, as he nominates the judges of the supreme court." 
 I am obliged to "A Methodist" for this illustration — it an- 
 swers my purpose exactly. In order, however, to make the 
 two cases analogous, suppose that the president of the Uni- 
 ted States had not only the power to nominate the judges of 
 the supreme court, but also of making all the laws by which 
 the judges must be governed in their judicial administration, 
 would he not have the control of the judiciary of this coun- 
 try — and, through it, of the civil and political rights of the 
 people ? — For, be it remembered, the Methodist preachers 
 not only nominate the trustees, but make all " the rules and 
 regulations," by which the trustees are governed ! Our civil 
 and political "• security'''' is, not merely that the judges are 
 " not removable" at the pleasure of the president, but that 
 they are bound to administer laws which are made by the 
 representatives of the people, and according to the constitu- 
 tion, adopted by the people and alterable only by their sov- 
 ereign will — and that the judges are liable to impeachment, 
 and hence amenable to the people, through their representa- 
 tives, for any mal-administration of their office. If it were 
 other w^ise — if the president had the power of making what 
 14
 
 106 CHURCH PROPERTV. 
 
 laws he pleased, and the judges appointed by him were ir- 
 responsible to the people, what security should we have for 
 our properly, liberty, or lives ? Would not such a control 
 over the judiciary of the country be regarded as imminently 
 dangerous ? Would the people of these United States tole- 
 rate it for a moment ? And yet, it is an undeniable fact, that 
 the trustees of Methodist meeting houses and parsonages 
 are not only nominated by the preachers, but they are sub- 
 ject to all the " rules and regulations," which may be from 
 time to time adopted by the General Conference; nor can 
 either the trustees or the preachers be called to an account 
 for their official acts, by the people: — and hence, it is evi- 
 dent, that the clergy of that sect have the entire control of 
 the property, held by the trustees, so nominated and gov- 
 erned. 
 
 5. In the deed of settlement it is specially provided " in 
 farther trust and confidence, that they" (the trustees) "shall at 
 all times, forever hereafter, permit such ministers and preach- 
 ers belonging to the said church," (the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church in the TInited States of America,) " as shall from 
 time to time be duly authorized by the General Conferences 
 of the ministers and preachers of the said Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, or by the Annual Conferences authorized 
 by the said General Conference, to preach and expound 
 God's holy word therein." And in the second section of 
 part II. of the Discipline, the conference declare that they 
 will not admit any charter in which this provision is not in- 
 corporated ! Now, is not this control ? Suppose the trus- 
 tees and congregation of any Methodist Church were dissa- 
 tisfied with a preacher sent to them by the bishop, could 
 they exclude Idm from the occupancy of their house of wor- 
 ship'^ Suppose the trustees and congregation were unani- 
 mously desirous of making an arrangement with ministers
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 107 
 
 of other persuasions to occupy their pulpit on the sabbaths, 
 when their circuit preacher was absent, could not the preach- 
 er change his appointments, and so prevent the congrega- 
 tion from carrying out their wishes ? Suppose that the trus- 
 tees and congregation were desirous of granting the use of 
 their meeting house for some useful exhibition, or popular 
 lecture, could not the preacher prevent it by making an ap- 
 pointment to preach on that day and at that hour ? Observe, 
 the question is not whether it would ever be expedient for a 
 Methodist congregation to loan their church for any such 
 purpose, or wise to allow any minister of another denomina- 
 tion to occupy their pulpit, without the consent of the pastor 
 or preacher in charge; but the question is, cannot the preach- 
 ers, by this clause of the deed, restrain the people from 
 using their property as they might think proper ? The ques- 
 tion is not even whether the General Conference have the 
 moral right to say on what terms they will use the meeting 
 houses for the purpose of expounding God's holy word there- 
 in, it is simply a question o^ fact — whether this clause in 
 the deed, prescribed by them, does not give them the con- 
 trol of the property ? And that it does give them the re- 
 straining or controlling power over every house of worship 
 held by this deed of settlement, or by any charter which is 
 " according to the true intent and meaning" of this deed, 
 who can doubt ? 
 
 6. It appears from the deed of settlement, that the pro- 
 perty is not held for the use of the particular congregation 
 who build and pay for it, but for the use of the members of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of 
 America! Thus: — "in trust, that they" (the trustees) 
 *' shall erect and build, or cause to be erected and built there- 
 on a house or place of worship for the use of the members 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of
 
 108 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 America." The right, therefore, is not vested in the mem- 
 bers of any particular congregation, such as " the Light 
 street Methodist Church," or " the Eutaw street Methodist 
 Church," — but in the members of "the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church in the United States of America !" The congrega- 
 tion, who pay for the building, are not even to be named in 
 the deed as the owners of the property for which they have 
 paid ! ! And, pray, who are the legal representatives or 
 agents of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United 
 States of America, in which the right of property is thus 
 vested ? Are they not the ministers and preachers compos- 
 ing the General Conference ? And who are the exclusive and 
 irresponsible rulers of the members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church in the United States of America ? Are they 
 not the ministers and preachers composing the General Con- 
 ference ? And as they have the entire government of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of Ameri- 
 ca, in which the right of property is vested, have they not 
 therefore the entire control of the property ? 
 
 I am grieved and mortified to be obliged to expose, what 
 must be regarded as either an unpardonable oversight by " A 
 Methodist," or as a wilful and wicked suppression of the 
 truth. In his last article, he says, — " As to the church pro- 
 perty, the Discipline recommends a deed of settlement, (p. 
 161,) in which the property is conveyed to trustees, ' for the 
 use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.'" 
 Now, with the deed before him, how could he overlook the- 
 remaining part of the sentence — " in the United States of 
 AmericaV — Or, if he saw it, how could he deliberately 
 suppress it ! Did he wish his readers to infer, from his im- 
 perfect quotation, that the property was conveyed, according 
 to the deed, for the use of the members of the congregation 
 who built and paid for it, and that the right of ownership was
 
 CHURCEI PROPERTY. 109 
 
 vested in them ? Whether he designed to make this im- 
 pression or not, it is certain that many actually received it, 
 and not a few regarded the quotation as decisive proof to 
 that efiect ! Really, Mr. " Methodist," such carelessness in 
 citing authorities, or such disingenuousness in the use made 
 of them, is very, very dishonourable and reprehensible ! 
 
 7. Agreeably to the deed of settlement, the trustees are au- 
 thorized to hold the property in trust "for the use of the 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United 
 States of America, according to the rules and discip- 
 line, which from time to time may he agr-eed upon and adopt- 
 ed BY THE MINISTERS AND PREACHERS oj" the Said chuTch^ 
 
 at their General Conferences in the United States of Ameri- 
 ca." That is, — gentlemen, you may hold the property in trust 
 for the use of the members, — but — but the members shall 
 use it only according to the rules and discipline, which we^ 
 the ministers and preachers, may from time to time agree 
 upon and prescribe !!! If this is not assuming the control of 
 the property, pray, what would be? Observe, it is not restraint 
 enough, that the members are authorized to use the property 
 only according to the rules and discipline already agreed up- 
 on by the General Conference; but they are authorized to use 
 it, only in accordance with the rules and discipline which it 
 may please the ministers and preachers to agree upon and 
 adopt hereafter — " from time to time" ! ! ! Yes, no matter 
 how arbitrary the rules, or how oppressive the discipline 
 which may be in future agreed upon and adopted by the 
 General Conference, the members can only have the use of 
 the churches which they have erected and paid for, by sub- 
 mitting to and acting in accordance with them ! ! !— This is 
 not mere control — but control the most despotic — and by 
 any other intelligent protestant denomination would be re- 
 garded as intolerable !
 
 110 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 Now, why did not " A Methodist" quote this part of the 
 deed? — especially as it forms a part of the very sentence 
 from which he quoted ! Why he did not, we leave with his 
 own conscience: but the public cannot fail to see, that, if he 
 had quoted the entire sentence, it would have demonstrated, 
 beyond all doubt, the truth of what I had alleged ! But this 
 is not all; — immediately after the imperfect quotation before 
 noticed, he says, — " The only right reserved to the preach- 
 ers, is the right to preach in the church when regularly ap- 
 pointed to do so." ! ! So, indeed ! Then the reserved 
 right to make what "rules and discipline" they plaase, and 
 according to which, only the members have the privilege to 
 use their meeting houses, is considered by " A Methodist," 
 either as no right at all ! or as too insignificant to mention!! 
 O shame ! that a gentleman should thus overlook, or wilfully 
 suppress, the most material parts of a document from which 
 he professes to quote ! — and that, too, while he is volunteer- 
 ing to convict an accredited minister of the gospel — a 
 "friend"! — of " bearing false witness against his neigh- 
 bours" I ! I No wonder that some, who had not examined 
 the deed for themselves, imagined that the charge of clerical 
 control of church property was shown, triumphantly, to be 
 false I — for who would have suspected, that " A Methodist" 
 would either have overlooked, or suppressed, the remainder 
 of a sentence, which indisputably proves the charge to be 
 true!! Now, if this had been done by an "unconverted" 
 and " cold-hearted" Presbyterian, it would not have been 
 worse than some would have expected, and it might have 
 furnished another illustration of the alleged " licentious ten- 
 dency of Calvinism"! — Ah! it is easy, very, to shout 
 " Glory !" " Hallelujah !" — but, according to our old fash- 
 ioned notion , it is much more acceptable in the sight of God, 
 to avoid such negligence, or disingenuousness. I will only
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. Ill 
 
 say further, that if the Rev. Mr. Annan were convicted of 
 the same carelessness, or want of candour, I should not in- 
 deed vauntingly manifest quite as much fastidiousness as 
 " A Methodist," but I would cordially unite with him in re- 
 pudiating his authority ! 
 
 8. According to the deed of settlement, the trustees of a 
 Methodist Church are not at liberty either to mortgage or 
 sell the property held by them, in liquidation of the debts 
 due by the congregation, without giving a year's notice to 
 the pastor or preacher of said society — " They," (the trus- 
 tees) " or a majority of them, shall be authorized to raise 
 the said sum or sums of money, by a mortgage on the said 
 premises, or by selling the said premises, after notice given to 
 the pastor or preacher who has the oversight of the congre- 
 gation attending divine service on the said premises, if the 
 money due be not paid to the said trustees, or their succes- 
 sors, within one year after such notice given." Is not this 
 control — check, restiaint, government ? 
 
 9. It is further provided in the deed of settlement, that, if 
 the property is sold, the balance, after paying the debt and 
 other expenses, shall be deposited, not with the trustees of 
 the congregation, to be by them disposed of, as they or the 
 people may judge proper, — but in the hands of the steward 
 or stewards, to be disposed of hy the Annual Conference.^ ac- 
 cording to the best of their judgment, for the use of said so- 
 ciety ! — " And if such sale take place, the said trustees, or 
 their successors, after paying the debt and other expenses, 
 which are due from the money arising from such sale, shall 
 deposite the remainder of the money produced by the said 
 sale in the hands of the steward or stewards of the society 
 belonging to, or attending divine service on said premises; 
 which surplus of the produce of such sale so deposited in 
 the hands of the said steward or stewards, shall be at the
 
 112 CHURCH PROPERTV, 
 
 disposal of the next Annual Conference, authorized as afore- 
 said; which said Annual Conference shall dispose of the said 
 money, according to the best of their judgment, for the use 
 of the said society." Is not this control ? It has been re- 
 marked on this clause of the deed, that " it is an indisputa- 
 ble principle of the law, that if a property be sold for debt, 
 the residue of the proceeds, after all claims on the property 
 have been satisfied, is at the disposal of the legal owner of 
 the property. But the deed says, ' the conference shall dis- 
 pose of it;' therefore, the conference is the legal owner. 
 The fact that the surplus is to be disposed of for the use of 
 the society, only proves that those who wrote the deed, meant 
 to act honestly, and if they could not retain the church, would 
 not pocket the money; but it does not affect the ownership 
 of the church itself " — or disprove the fact, that, from begin- 
 ning to end, the conference claim the right of controlling 
 the propert}^ — yea, even the residue of the proceeds arising 
 from its sale ! 
 
 10. It also appears, from the note appended to the deed of 
 settlement, that the trustees are not accountable to the congre- 
 gation, but to the Quarterly Meeting Conference. — '^ The 
 board of trustees of every circuit or station shall be responsi- 
 ble to the Quarterly Meeting Conference of said circuit or 
 station, and shall be required to present a report of its acts 
 during the preceding year." 
 
 Lastly. It is evident from the deed of settlement, that the 
 right is so vested in the General Conference, as that the pro- 
 perty can never he alienated from them, or withdrawn from 
 their control. This is the avowed design of the deed pre- 
 scribed in the Book of Discipline: — " to secure the premises 
 firmly by deed, and permanently to the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church." Observe, not to theparticular congregations who 
 erect and pay for them, — but " to the Methodist Episcopal
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 113 
 
 Church." And hence, in the deed itself, it is provided that 
 the property shall be held in trust " for the use of the mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States 
 of America, according to the rules and discipline, which 
 from time to time may be agreed upon and adopted by the 
 ministers and preachers of said church at their General Con- 
 ferences in the United States of America; and in farther trust 
 and confidence, that they" (the trustees) " shall at all timeSj 
 forever hereafter^ permit such ministers and preachers be- 
 longing to the said church, as shall from time to time be duly 
 authorized by the General Conferences of the ministers and 
 preachers of the said Methodist Episcopal Church, or by the 
 Annual Conferences authorized by the said General Confer- 
 ence, to preach and expound God's holy word therein." It 
 is obvious, therefore, that if the trustees and congregation of 
 any Methodist Church should unanimously desire to with- 
 draw from their present ecclesiastical connexion, they could 
 not secede and yet retain their place of worship ! — No mat- 
 ter how heretical, in their unanimous judgment, the Gene- 
 ral Conference had become, or how intolerably arbitrary and 
 tyrannical their discipline, the congregation could not ex- 
 clude them from their pulpit, or invite any other ministers to 
 occupy it in their place ! They might indeed secede, as indi- 
 viduals, from the denomination, but they could not secede 
 and yet retain the property, — that would remain, " firmly " 
 — " permanently" — aye, " forever hereafter !" for the use of 
 the Methodists in the United States of America ! ! and for 
 the occupancy, ad libitum et ceternum, of the ministers and 
 preachers duly authorized by the General Conference I ! ! 
 If this commitment, unqualified and " forever hereafter," 
 were only to rules and discipline already known and un- 
 changeably established, we should not be so much astonish- 
 ed; — but it is, be it remembered, to any rules and discipline 
 15
 
 114 CHURCH PROPEftTY. 
 
 which may be hereafter, from time to time agreed upon and 
 adopted by the General Conference — the nature of which 
 cannot of course be foreknown, and wliich may be wise, or 
 foolish — liberal, or despotic — scriptural, or anti-scriptural ! ! ! 
 — Verily, this, this is control with a witness ! 
 
 Now, in view of all these particulars — derived from the 
 Book of Discipline itself — is not the induction irresistible, 
 that the clergy of the Methodist Episcopal Church have the 
 " entire control" of the meeting houses and parsonages be- 
 longing to that denomination ? — They have forbidden the 
 people to commence any place of worship, without first se- 
 curing or having subscribed three-fourths of the cost, esti- 
 mated by a committee, to be appointed by the Quarterly 
 Meeting Conference: — they have forbidden them to proceed, 
 unless the lot, on which they contemplate erecting their 
 church, is first secured according to their prescribed deed of 
 settlement: — they have resolved that they wull admit no 
 charter which is not in accordance with that which they 
 have enjoined: — they have assumed the right of appointing 
 every new board of trustees, and of nominating persons to fill 
 all vacancies: — they have reserved to themselves the right 
 to use the churches, at all times, forever: — they have requir- 
 ed, that the property shall be held in trust, for the use, not 
 of the members of any particular congregation, but of the 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United 
 States of America: — they have, decreed that the churches 
 shall be used by the members of the denomination, only in 
 accordance with the rules and discipline which they may from 
 time to time agree upon and adopt: — they have determined, 
 that the trustees shall not be authorized to mortgage or sell 
 the property to pay the debts of the congregation, without 
 giving a year's notice to the pastor: — they have enacted that, 
 if the trustees are compelled to sell the property, the pro-
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 115 
 
 ceeds shall be at the disposal, not of the congregation, but 
 of the Annual Conference: — they have resolved, that the trus- 
 tees, instead of making their report to the society, whose 
 money they manage, and to whom they ought to be account- 
 able, shall be responsible to the Quarterly Conference, and 
 make their yearly report to them: — and they have required, 
 that the ownership of every church shall be secured, firmly, 
 permanently, and forever, to the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 in the United States, of which they arc the exchisive and ir- 
 responsible agents and controllers ! so that no congregation 
 can refuse to submit to the rules and discipline which they 
 may see fit to adopt, or secede from their connexion, with- 
 out forfeiting the privilege of using the place of worship, 
 which they have, perhaps with many sacrifices, erected and 
 paid for ! — Surely, surely, from all these particulars, the fact 
 is indubitably established, that the clergy of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church have the " entire control" of the meeting 
 houses and parsonages of that denomination. 
 
 It would seem to be a work of supererogation to produce 
 any further evidence in proof of a charge so clearly and ful- 
 ly demonstrated: but I will subjoin, for the "satisfaction" of 
 my Methodist brethren, the unanimous opinion of no less 
 than seven lawyers, and the decision of the Supreme Court of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 " It is," says Dr. Schmucker, " the concurrent opinion of 
 the members of our bar, that the property thus deeded, be- 
 longs not to the congregation, but to the Methodist Church 
 in the United States, represented by the conference. I show- 
 ed the deed to seven of our lawyers, being all whom I could 
 find when I had it with me, and this was their unanimous 
 opinion.^'' 
 
 Again, the Dr. says, " the principle was actually decided 
 by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, as I am informed by
 
 IIG CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 a member of our bar. The jury, governed, we presume, by 
 the equity of the case, gave verdict for the Radicals," [Meth- 
 odist Protestants,] " wlio were a majority both in the church 
 and of the trustees. The minority of the trustees, as agents 
 of the conference, appealed, and the supreme court reversed 
 the decision! It is therefore undeniable," he continues, 
 " that if every member and every trustee of a church, thus 
 deeded, regarded any future measures of the conference as 
 tyrannical, and desired to withdraw and introduce other 
 preachers, the conference could turn the key on them, and 
 they could be compelled to submit! We might proceed to 
 show that the plea set up for a distinction between the right 
 of ' occupancy' in the conference and of ' possession' in the 
 congregation, is a quibble, not mentioned in the deed, nor re- 
 cognized by the laws of our land: but we believe the opinion 
 of our respectable bar, and of the supreme court of our state, 
 a sufficient answer to all such evasions." 
 
 "A Methodist," who appears to have been either very lit- 
 tle acquainted with the deed of settlement, or else very 
 much afraid of its real character, says, — " In fact, but few 
 of our churches are held under this deed of settlement. In 
 this city, the trustees fill their own vacancies, and in most 
 of the Eastern Conferences, the trustees are elected by the 
 membership." To this we reply, that, so far as the General 
 Conference could control the people, they have obliged them 
 to adopt their deed of settlement — not only by enjoining its 
 adoption " in all possible cases," but by resolving that they 
 " will admit no charter" that does not include the material 
 provisions before mentioned, " according to the true mean- 
 ing and purport of our deed of settlement." — See Dis., part 
 II., sec. 2. And if, in some of the states and territories, in 
 which the civil statutes will not admit of the adoption of the 
 deed in the precise form in which it is found in the Book of
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 117 
 
 Discipline; oi' if in cases where the usages and customs of 
 the people require some modification of the form prescribed, 
 — some change in the form of conveyance is allowed, — yet, 
 in every case, the substance of the deed of settlement must 
 be preserved. Thus: — " Let the following plan of a deed 
 of settlement be brought into effect in all possible cases, and 
 as far as the laws of the states respectively will admit of. 
 But each Annual Conference is authorized to make such 
 modification in the deeds as they may find the different usa- 
 ges and customs of law require in the different states and 
 territories, so as to secure the premises firmly by deed, and 
 permanently to the Methodist Episcopal Church, according 
 to the true intent and meaning of the following form of a 
 deed of settlement; any thing in the said form to the contra- 
 ry notwithstanding." — lb. In order to test the matter — let 
 the deeds of the Methodist Episcopal Churches in this city 
 be published, fairly and fully, and then the public will be able 
 to judge whether they are not " according to the true intent 
 and meaning" of the deed of settlement. And if in this 
 city, where the Methodist Protestants have so ably advocated 
 the rights of the people, any Methodist Episcopal congrega- 
 tions have adopted charters differing materially from the 
 deed of settlement, they are only exceptions to the general 
 rule, and are manifestly in direct opposition to the laws of 
 their church, as published in the Book of Discipline. But 
 we do not believe that the preachers have " admitted" any 
 such charters — because they have deliberately and formally 
 declared that they would not — and this declaration is still 
 published by them to the world; and therefore, if any such 
 charters exist, we challenge their publication. — We shall be 
 " satisfied" with no mere assertion or evasion — let us have 
 the deeds themselves. And after the imperfect quotation 
 from one which we have had occasion to expose, we shall
 
 1J8 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 not be thought unreasonable in demanding their publication 
 171 exlenso — especially as they are more private and less ac- 
 cessible to the public than the form of the deed contained in 
 the Discipline. 
 
 Hitherto we have spoken only of the meeting houses and 
 parsonages under the control of the travelling preachers of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, and which are estimated to 
 be worth at least "three millions eight hundred thou- 
 sand dollars:" — But there are other, and immense funds, 
 under their " entire control." In addition to what they terra 
 " The Chartered Fund,^'' which amounts at present, it is said, 
 to " about thirty thousand dollars," — they have what they 
 call " The Book Concern, ^^ the capital of which exceeds, 
 considerably, the half of a million of dollars. For the in- 
 stitution, management and appropriation of these funds, see 
 Book of Discipline, part II., sections 7th and 8th. 
 
 As it is not denied that these funds are under the absolute 
 control of the preachers and for the exclusive use or pecu- 
 niary benefit of themselves and families, the mere reference 
 to the Discipline, as just given, is, I presume, sufficient. 
 
 The extent and profitableness, however, of the book con- 
 cern, deserve a more particular notice. These may be seen 
 from the following printed circular, addressed to each of the 
 Annual Conferences on the 1st of Jan., 1842, and which 
 was, at my request, politely procured for me, from the office 
 at New York, by " A Methodist." 
 
 " Mw York, Jan., J, 1842. 
 " To the Annual Conference of the Methodist Epis- 
 
 copal Church: — 
 " Dear Brethren, — 
 
 " In the discharge of our duty as agents, we beg leave 
 to lay before you a brief statement of the affairs of the Meth-
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 119 
 
 odist book concern up to December 31, 1841. We were in 
 hopes a year ago, that the financial and mercantile embar- 
 rassments of the country had reached a crisis, and that we 
 might thenceforward look for an improvement; but in this 
 we have been disappointed, and have found the difficulties, 
 growing out of the deranged state of the currency, to ex- 
 ceed all former years. Our loss in exchange, amounts to 
 upward of ^10,000. Fewer books have been sold, and re- 
 mittances greatly retarded. While we deeply deplore this 
 state of things, we have found it wholly out of our power to 
 control it, and, with others, have been compelled to submit. 
 For the success which has attended the business of the con- 
 cern, (for it has not been without some success) we are, as we 
 always have been, greatly indebted to the interest felt and 
 manifested by its friends, many of whom have laboured with 
 their accustomed zeal, by selling books, obtaining subscrip- 
 tions for periodicals, and making remittances to promote the 
 great objects for which this institution was established. And 
 it is to be hoped that such are the views of brethren with regard 
 to the connection which exists between the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church and the book concern, and their dependence, 
 one upon the other, that there will be no falling off of friends, 
 or relaxation of effort, but a constant increase of both until its 
 utmost capacity of doing good to the bodies and souls of 
 men is fully developed. 
 
 " We remain dear brethren, 
 
 " Your's very affectionately, 
 
 " G, Lane & P. P. Sandford.
 
 120 
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 " EXHIBIT OF THE METHODIST BOOK CONCERN, 
 JANUARY 1, 1842. 
 
 " ASSETS. 
 
 1. Heal Estate. — FoUr houses and lease 
 
 of lots in Crosby street, . . 
 
 Lots in Mulberry street, . . 
 
 Buildings on do., with steam engine, 
 water works, and warming appara- 
 tus, 
 
 2. Printing Office. — Presses, type and 
 
 furniture 
 
 Stereotype plates, 
 
 Steel plate engravings, and wood and 
 
 metal cuts, 
 
 3. Foundery. — Materials, tools and fur- 
 
 niture, 
 
 4. Bindery. — Presses, tools and mate- 
 
 rials, 
 
 5. Notes and Book Accounts. — Viz. in 
 
 notes 
 
 In book accounts 
 
 Deduct 20 per cent, for bad debts, 
 
 transportation and exchange, 
 
 6. Merchandize. — Sunday school books. 
 Bound books of the general cata- 
 logue, including Charleston and 
 Pittsburg depositories, . . . 
 
 Sheet stock, 
 
 Paper, furniture in offices, &c. . 
 
 7. Cash In bank, drafts, and certifi- 
 
 cates of deposile, 
 
 8. Periodicals. — Amount due on the 
 
 books of the Christian Advocate 
 and Journal from subscribers, 
 Total amount of assets, . . . 
 
 " LIABILITIES. 
 
 The concern owes on notes, . . 
 
 On book accounts, 
 
 Nett amount of capital stock estima- 
 ted at, 
 
 The nett profits of the concern Ihe 
 past year amount to, . • . 
 
 Total amount received for publish- 
 ing fund to this date, . . . 
 
 $12,215,00 
 
 $12,000,00 
 
 
 75,634,14 
 
 87,849,14 
 
 S99,849,14 
 
 
 21,767,08 
 76,067,14 
 
 
 
 4,265,00 
 
 102,099,22 
 
 
 
 904,75 
 
 
 
 5,717,16 
 
 50,764,68 
 165,070,25 
 
 215,834,93 
 
 
 
 43,166,98 
 
 172,667,95 
 
 
 20,543,27 
 
 
 
 65,292,55 
 
 84,960,-34 
 
 4,738,92 
 
 175,535,08 
 
 
 
 9,135,34 
 
 
 
 42,000,00 
 
 
 607,908,64 
 
 S765,00 
 6,701,62 
 
 7,466,62 
 
 600,442,02 
 
 39,738,10 
 
 45,175,16
 
 church property. 121 
 
 " Remarks. 
 
 " The bound books of the general catalogue are reckon- 
 ed at a discount of fifty per cent, from the retail price, and 
 the Sunday school books at twenty per cent. The folded and 
 sheet stock at estimated cost. The stock in printing office, 
 bindery, &c., at what it is believed to be worth in cash." 
 
 From the foregoing circular, it appears, that the " nett 
 capital" of the book concern alone, notwithstanding the 
 heavy loss sustained a few years since by fire, amounted, on 
 the first of January, 1842, to more than six hundred 
 THOUSAND dollars: and this immense and increasing capi- 
 tal is admitted to be under the "entire control" of the 
 preachers; and the profits are in fact, exclusively appropriat- 
 ed by them to the exclusive benefit of themselves and fami- 
 lies ! 
 
 The "nett profits" of the book concern during the year 
 mentioned, notwithstanding " the financial and mercantile 
 embarrassments of the country," and " the difficulties grow- 
 ing out of the deranged state of the currency," which, they 
 say, " exceeded all former years" — and notwithstanding their 
 "loss in exchange amounted to upward of |^ 10,000," — not- 
 withstanding these unprecedented difficulties and losses, 
 " the nett profits of the concern," (exclusive, of course, of 
 the salaries of all their bishops, who are provided for out of 
 this fund,) amounted to very nearly forty thousand dol- 
 lars ! 
 
 What the profits would have been, but for the extraordi- 
 nary embarrassments of the times, and the enormous "loss 
 in exchange," we cannot tell, but no doubt they would have 
 been much greater. And who can estimate the " profits" of 
 such a concern, when it shall be " developed" to its " ut- 
 16
 
 122 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 most capacily !" — Let it be remembered, that every travel- 
 ling preacher is personally interested in the sale of the books 
 and the circulation of the periodicals, issued by the concern 
 — ^that these interested clerical agents number several thou- 
 sands, and have peculiar facilities for promoting this trade — 
 and that the people who constitute their liberal and zealous 
 customers, number more than eight hundred thousand: — let 
 these facts, I say be remembered, and the reader may form 
 some idea of the " capacity" of this immense concern, when 
 it is " fully developed ! " 
 
 There are serious objections to this secular trade on the 
 part of ministers of the gospel, personally interested in its 
 success, and especially of those who boast of being pre-emi- 
 nently disinterested — as specially devoted to the alone work 
 of winning souls to Christ ! The apostles would not be in- 
 terrupted in their spiritual employment, even to attend to the 
 supply of the necessary wants of the poor; andJ^gnce re- 
 quired the people to elect deacons, who should attend to 
 this matter, that they might give themselves " continually to 
 prayer, and to the ministry of the word." But the preach- 
 ers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, not only engage in 
 the immense business of the book concern, and appropriate 
 its profits to their ovi'n exclusive benefit and that of their 
 families, — but they have, by express legislation, excluded all 
 laymen from taking any part in its control ! ! And is there 
 no tendency in all this to secularize their minds, and engen- 
 der within them the spirit of cupidity and worldliness ? In 
 their great zeal to proselyte men from Calvinistic Presbyte- 
 rianism to Arminian Methodism, may they not sometimes be 
 unduly influenced by the desire to increase the number of 
 their customers .'' And is there no danger to be apprehend- 
 ed from these large and increasing acquisitions .'' Is not mo- 
 ney — power.!* js it right or safe to intrust any body of
 
 CHURCH PROPERTV. 123 
 
 clergymen with such absolute and irresponsible control over 
 property amounting to so much, and ca})able of being in- 
 creased almost indefinitely ? Already it is supposed to 
 amount — including their numerous churches and parsonages 
 —to BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE MILLIONS OF 
 DOLLARS ! — and this sum, immense as it is, is yearly and 
 rapidly augmenting. It is idle to say, that ihey are pious 
 men, and therefore will not abuse their power. We know 
 that they are but men; and, according to their own doctrine, 
 the best of them may " fall from grace." We know from 
 history the corrupting tendency of clerical wealth and power 
 — and what has been, may be again. If their purposes are 
 purely benevolent and upright, what objection can there be 
 to allow the laity to participate with them in the control and 
 disbursement of the funds ? Have they any more right to 
 mistrust the people, than the people have to mistrust them? 
 The truth is, that independent of the natural jealousy of im- 
 mense wealth — the fact that they have retained the whole of 
 the book concern under their exclusive and irresponsible con- 
 trol, and for the exclusive benefit of themselves and fami- 
 lies, is adapted to create, in thinking minds, the deepest ap- 
 prehensions for the future ! Nor does it at all lessen the fears 
 of such, that the very men who thus retain the entire con- 
 trol of this immense and increasing capital, are the very 
 men who have excluded laymen from any participation in 
 the government of their church, and have assumed to them- 
 selves, all legislative, judicial, and executive power ! With 
 the right to make what " rules and regulations" they please 
 — with the meeting houses and parsonages " firmly and per- 
 manently" deeded to them for their exclusive use — and with 
 a " capital" in trade already amounting to more than six 
 hundred thousand dollars, and constantly increasing, their 
 power may well excite the fears — not of Methodist Christians 
 alone — but of all reflecting patriots !
 
 124 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 To show that, in the judgment of others, the " profits" of 
 the book concern, in ordinary times, are very large; and that 
 the irresponsible control of such an establishment, by the 
 Methodist clergy, is really dangerous in its tendency to the 
 civil and religious liberty of the country, I will submit the fol- 
 lowing additional testimony. The first is from the tract writ- 
 ten by the Rev. W. B. Evans, entitled " Questions and An- 
 swers, explanatory of the government of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church." 
 
 " Ques. Who claims the right of property in the Method- 
 ist Episcopal Church ? 
 
 " jins. The travelling preachers. — (Dw., p. 159, 
 Ed. 1832.) — (See also deed of settlement, and the note at 
 the end of said deed.) 
 
 " Q. What is the probable amount of church property 
 thus claimed by the travelling preachers ? 
 
 "A. It is supposed that it cannot be less than three mil- 
 lions EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
 
 " Q. Is not this interest greatly augmented by the quar- 
 terly and yearly collections ? 
 
 "A. Yes. 
 
 " Q. Have they not, also, a large chartered fund and book 
 establishment under their exclusive control ? 
 
 " A. Yes, they have in the city of Philadelphia, a char- 
 tered fund of about thirty thousand dollars, and in the city 
 of New York, they have a large book establishment, with a 
 capital of from two to five hundred thousand dollars," (see 
 the circu/ar before quoted,) " and their periodicals bring them 
 an immense revenue, one of which is worth, perhaps, forty 
 thousand dollars per annum. — (See C. Springer's Review, 
 <fcc., pp. 28 and 29. 
 
 " Q. Is not this interest rapidly increasing ? 
 
 "A. Yes, great efforts are making to extend the interest 
 of the establishment; hence it is made the duty of presiding
 
 CHURCH PROPERXr. 125 
 
 elders and preachers to promote the circulation of books, 
 make collections, &c. 
 
 " Q. What is the aggregate amount of the whole ? 
 
 "A. Perhaps not less than four millions three hun- 
 dred AND SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
 
 " Q. Does this establishment receive a liberal support 
 from the members of the church ? 
 
 "A. Yes. 
 
 " Q. Have the members who thus liberally contribute their 
 support to this establishment, any voice or control in its man- 
 agement or government ? 
 
 " A. No, they have no voice, either directly or indirectly, 
 but it all belongs to the travelling preachers. 
 
 " Q. Does not the history of the church in past ages ad- 
 monish us of the danger of placing in the hands of the cler- 
 gy, and under their exclusive control, such a vast amount of 
 wealth } 
 
 " A. Yes, but we are slow to learn from such examples, 
 and consequently, they have to be repeated again and again." 
 —pp. 21 and 22. 
 
 The following extracts are taken from one of the pub- 
 lished letters of the Rev. Dr. Schmucker before referred to: — 
 
 " ' The chartered fund'' was established in 1796, at which 
 time the previously existing ' stock of the preachers' fund' 
 was united to it, and the resolution adopted, that the profits 
 of the book concern should also be thrown into this fund, 
 and the interest of the whole be applied to the preach- 
 ers' salary. That this stock was profitable thirty-six years 
 ago," (the Dr. wrote in 1834,) " is seen from the following 
 paragraph in the discipline of 1797, (9th edition.) 
 
 " ' Question. — What sum of money shall be allowed dis- 
 tressed preachers out of the book fund ? 
 
 " '■Answer. — 266^ dollars annually.'
 
 126 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 "Subsequently, but how soon, we know not, the profits 
 of the hook concern were no longer thrown into the charter- 
 ed fund, to be on interest, but they are now wholly applied 
 from year to year, in making up the preachers' salaries. 
 The amount of the chartered fund alone, was in Jan. 1829, 
 $27,000. The annual amount of profits from the book con- 
 cern, is, so far as we can learn, never officially published to 
 the churches; yet, from the nature of the case, they must be 
 very great. Of the weekly religious paper alone, upwards of 
 30,000 copies are circulated," (at present the number is pro- 
 bably much greater,) "• which, at $2,00 each, may, from so 
 large an edition, yield a profit of at least $30,000 annually. 
 Add to this, several other periodicals, the profits on the doc- 
 trinal, practical, biographical and other works, published by 
 them. Every minister, is by the discipline, officially a book 
 agent, and is bound to ' see that his circuit be duly supplied 
 with books, and to take charge of all the books sent him,' 
 &c., {p. 186, ed. 1825.) The presiding elders are superin- 
 tendents of the book business in their district, &c., with 
 whom the preachers must settle their accounts annually, &c. 
 (p. 185.)* In short, the Methodist itinerants are carrying 
 
 ♦ Since the edition of the Discipline from which Dr. Schmucker quotes, 
 there appears to have been some change in the regulation of this busi- 
 ness. In the edition of 1842, part II., sec. 8, it is said, — " No books shall 
 hereafter he issued on commission, either from New York, Cincinnati, 
 or any other depository or establishment under our direction. Every An- 
 nual Conference shall appoint a coramiUee or committees, to examine 
 the accounts of the presiding elders, preachers and book stewards, in 
 their respective districts and circuits." And it is added, — " Every presid- 
 ing elder, minister, and preacher, shall do every thing in his power to re- 
 cover all debts due to the concern, and also all books belonging to it, with- 
 in the bounds of his charge." 
 
 In the same edition of the Discipline, (1842) chap. I., sec. 5, it is made 
 the duty of every presiding elder—" To oversee the spiritual and tevipo- 
 ral business of the church in his district, and to promote, by all proper
 
 CHURCH PROPERXy. 127 
 
 on an immense book trade, the profits of which they apply to 
 their own salary, and to the support of their widows and or- 
 phans. It appears from the following caution annexed to 
 the ' Portraiture of Methodism,' that their people are admon- 
 ished not to buy from other booksellers or printers, any books 
 with which their preachers and agents can furnish them. 
 ' As the profits of the above mentioned books, are for the 
 benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United 
 States, and to be applied to religious purposes, it is recom- 
 mended to the ministers and members of said church to pro- 
 mote the sale of the said books; and not to purchase any 
 books which we publish of any other persons, than the afore- 
 said D. Hitt and T. Ware, and the Methodist ministers, or 
 such persons as sell them by their consent.' When we re- 
 flect, that the number of preachers thus obligated to act as 
 agents, is upwards of 1700,'' (now more than double this 
 number,) " and that the members of the church, who chiefly 
 confine their custom to this clerical book concern, is stated 
 at 420,000," (in 1842, upwards of 800,000, exclusive of 
 coloured persons,) " and that this concern has printed not 
 only Methodist books, but all such other books as they par- 
 ticularly desire their members to read; every reflecting mind 
 will perceive, that the annual profits must be enormous. 
 Now all these profits the discipline expressly declares, shall^ 
 after retaining the necessary capital, to carry on the business, 
 be applied to no other purpose than the payment of the preach- 
 ers^ allowance* The whole and sole control or these 
 
 means, the cause of missions, and Sunday schools, and the publication, at 
 our own press, of Bibles, tracts, and Sunday school books, &c." And in 
 chap. I., sec. 10, of the same edition, (1812) it is made the duty of every 
 preacher who has the charge of a circuit, — " To take care that every so- 
 ciety be duly supplied with books." ! ! 
 
 * " The profits arising from the book concern, after a sufficient capital 
 to carry on the business, shall be regularly applied to the support of the 
 deficient travelling preachers and their families, the widows and orphans 
 of preachers, &c." — Discipline , part II., section 8, edition 1842.
 
 128 CHURCH PROPERTV- 
 
 FUNDS IS IN THE TRAVELLING PREACHERS, not a single lay- 
 man, or even local preacher having either a seat or vote at 
 the distribution of them." 
 
 The following extracts are taken from an article, original- 
 ly published in the " Mutual Rights," and subsequently re- 
 vised and inserted in Dr. " Jennings's Exposition." The 
 author, the Rev. Geo. Brown, was, at the lime he wrote, an 
 itinerant preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 connected with the Pittsburg Conference. His testimony is 
 important — because it shows how rapidly and alarmingly 
 the poiver of those who control such an immense amount of 
 property, has been in fact progressing ! He says: — 
 
 " The forming a church government which gives all eccle- 
 siastical power to the ministry, was a hold step. But bish- 
 ops stop not here ; the creation of presiding elders, who are 
 the special agents of the bishops, has given them a degree of 
 power, over the whole church, which really looks alarming. 
 **** In fifty years, power has marched farther in the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church, than it did in the three first centu- 
 ries of the primitive church. — M. R., vol. III., p. 112. 
 
 " To me it does appear to be a duty, which we owe to the 
 glorious author of our holy religion, to our fellow Christians, 
 and to posterity, to discuss this subject before the whole 
 church; that the slumbering sons of ourZion may be roused, 
 and kept awake, with an attentive eye fixed, on the steal- 
 ing MARCH OF ecclesiastical POWER. "We have seen 
 what the Christian church was in its origin, we have seen 
 what it grew to, in process of time. The people trusted too 
 much to the goodness and infallibility of the ministry; and 
 the preachers seeing this, took advantage of it, and went on 
 increasing their own power, until the church was ruined. 
 Let the Methodist Episcopal Church take warning. The 
 wreck of one fallen church now covers the world, and what 
 has happened to the church of Rome, may happen to us, if
 
 CHURCH PROPERTY. 129 
 
 we are not careful, vigilant, prayerful arid resolute.''^ — M. R., 
 vol. III., p. 113. 
 
 " I shall now sustain myself, by an induction of particulars, 
 and leave the community to judge, whether ' ecclesiastical 
 power' has been on the ^stealing march,'' backward or forward. 
 " 1st. In 1784, in the city of Baltimore, on Christmas 
 day, at the organization of the government of the Method- 
 ist Episcopal Church, the itinerant preachers did then, and 
 there, boldly march up to a principle of ecclesiastical polity, 
 and take it into their safe keeping, after which the Roman 
 clergy struggled, by trick, stratagem, and pious fraud, for 
 1160 years, before they laid their hands upon it, and took it 
 into their safe keeping; and when they got it, the church was 
 ruined. 'I'he principle is this, namely, that to the itinerant 
 clergy alone, does pertain of divine right, alllegislative, judi- 
 cial and executive power, over the whole church; leaving noth- 
 ing to the local preachers and the lay members, but absolute 
 submission to their will, or expatriation from the church. — 
 Their will officially expressed by a delegation of one for every 
 seven itinerant ministers, in the General Conference, is now 
 the law of the church, against which, there is no balance of 
 power, no check, or defence in any loay. A single pope ne- 
 ver sat in St. Peter's chair at Rome, for 1160 years, without 
 the elective voice of the people, as may be seen by an ap- 
 peal to Mosheim's and Gregory's church histories; but when 
 had our local preachers and members a voice in the election 
 of a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church ? Never! 
 " 2d. In changing the title of superintendent, in 1787, for 
 that of bishop, without the consent of the American Confer- 
 ence — See Lee's 'History of the Methodists,' p. 128: and 
 contrary to the express instructions of Mr. Wesley — See 
 ' Moore's Life of Wesley,' p. 285: and when becoming an 
 independent Methodist Episcopal Church, Doctor Coke, Mr. 
 17
 
 130 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 Asbury, and the itinerant preachers, did abundantly strength- 
 en themselves in the possession of the power which they had 
 assumed at the time of the organization of the government. 
 *' 3d. According to Lee's ' History of the Methodists,' p. 
 183, the power to make presiding elders, which was first as- 
 sumed, and ' used for several years' without law, and was fi- 
 nally, in 1792, established to the bishops by the General 
 Conference, gave them a power over the whole church, 
 which indeed really looks alarming ! No man in his senses 
 will pretend that the power of episcopacy is weaker by the 
 presiding elder system. This system renders the whole gov- 
 ernment, in its practical operations, vastly more powerful in 
 every way. 
 
 4th. In 1 796, according to Lee's History, p. 234, a ' deed 
 of settlement' was got up, to be carried into execution through- 
 out the whole connexion, as far as the civil authorities and 
 laws would allow. This deed makes the property a kind of 
 common stock, or at least, the use of it is made common to all 
 the Methodists in every state and in every conference. It is 
 placed under the absolute legislative control of the 
 'General Conference of ministers and preachers,' for 
 the people can only use it according to their legislation. It 
 is placed also under the absolute appointing power of the 
 BISHOPS, who have the power to put the occupants into the 
 pulpits and parsonages, \vithout consulting any will but their 
 own. Thus, the itinerant clergy, by taking this anti-christ- 
 ian ho'd of the temporalities of the people, have immense 
 POWER OVER them. By controlling the property, they con- 
 trol the people themselves: ''for power over a man's sub- 
 stance, really does, in most instances, amount to a power over 
 his will.'' Is this march retrograde, or onward ? 
 
 "5th. In 1808, the restrictive instrument, improperly 
 called a constitution, was formed, by which our bishops be-
 
 CHURCH PROPKRTY. 131 
 
 came officers for life. The General Conference became a 
 delegated body, and the whole government was so saddled 
 upon the Methodist coinmunity, by the itinerant ministry 
 alone, that no vital changes can be effected or hoped for, 
 without the consent of all the Annual Conferences, and a 
 vote of a majority of two-thirds of the subsequent General 
 Conference. This the bishops can easily hinder, as they 
 hokl all the appointing poiuer, and consequently all the 
 church livings in their hands. This is onward too. 
 
 ''6th. In 1S20, if I mistake not, our bishops became pen- 
 sioned upon the book concern, at New York, for all their ta- 
 ble expenses. Fenceforth, they are not to know want like 
 other men. Their support is as certain as that concern can 
 make it. Numbers have given them power. Wealth has 
 given them powder, for what would a king be, with all his ar- 
 bitrary principles of government, without men and money ? 
 
 "In this induction of particulars, we think we have 
 shown the stealing march of ecclesiastical power mi\\Q Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church, to be onward, fearfully tend- 
 ing TOWARDS ACCUMULATION. **** The fact is, the princi- 
 ples assumed by the itinerant clergy, in the organization of 
 the government, are without parallel in our country, for this 
 tyrannical character , and these principles, the itinerant clergy 
 have become amazingly strengthened in, by their various 
 additions, and by nothing are they more strengthened, than 
 by their firm grasp on church property, through the me- 
 dium of the ' deed of settlement,' and the constitution, as they 
 call it, of 1808 — this girds the government fast upon the 
 people, and leaves them no hope, but in ecclesiastical ex- 
 patriation." — Jennings's Exposition, chap. XVlII.,pp. 160 
 —162. 
 
 Once more. Let us hear the testimony of another gentle- 
 man, the Rev. Alexander McCaine, who had " himself been 
 a preacher in connexion with them for upwards of thirty
 
 132 CHURCH PROPERTY 
 
 years" — and who, at the time he wrote, was still a minister 
 in the Methodist Episcopal Church. — 
 
 " To recapitulate the leading points: every one will per- 
 ceive with what rapidity we have advanced in our career of 
 ambition and glory; and with what boldness the pretensions 
 of our bishops have been set forth by themselves or their ad- 
 vocates. In forty years we have outstript Rome 
 HERSELF, in her march to grandeur; and it would seem, that 
 what some writers have affirmed respecting the western 
 hemisphere, namely, that every thing in America is upon a 
 larger and grander scale, and that the natural productions 
 sooner arrive at maturity here, than on the eastern continent, 
 is to be verified in our church matters also. We began our 
 church establishment a few years ago, and rested the foot of 
 our ecclesiastical ladder upon Mr. Wesley's authority; but 
 his authority was soon rejected. The first step of our lad- 
 der is the identity of bishops and presbyters, or two orders. 
 The second, ' episcopal authority,' with limitations and re- 
 strictions. The third, three distinct orders. The fourth, a 
 ^presbyterian ordination, and an episcopal ordination as 
 good as any in the world.' The fifth, Methodist bishops, 
 ' very much resemble' primitive evangelists. The sixth, ' di- 
 vine authority' for episcopal power. The seventh, a right 
 ' to overrule the spiritual and temporal concerns of the 
 church.' The eighth, ' divine right' to legislate for the 
 church to the exclusion of local preachers and laymen. By 
 such steps have we advanced to the ground we now occupy; 
 and time alone can develops what other steps may be added in 
 the progress of the work. We have no idea, however, that 
 the present bishops have found a stopping place; nor that 
 they or their successors will voluntarily relinquish one parti- 
 cle of their authority. Indeed, we are rather inclined to 
 think, they will still continue their exertions to ascend. And, 
 that what was said of the bishops of another church, may
 
 CHURCH PROHKRTY. 13.3 
 
 be said by the future historian respecting them. — ' Jt is very 
 remarkable, that of the one hundred and fourteen popes be- 
 tween Boniface III., who laid the foundation of the papal 
 grandeur, and Gregory VII., who raised it to the highest 
 pitch, not one ever lost an inch of ground his predecessor 
 had gained.' " — His. and Mystery^ pjj. 57 a?id 58. 
 
 In view of this testimony, and the facts by which it is 
 supported, is there no danger to be apprehended to civil and 
 religious liberty ? Let the reader reflect upon the rapid pro- 
 gress which has already been made in ecclesiastical power, 
 and the accumulation of wealth by the travelling preachers 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church — let him ponder upon 
 the nature of the government they have established, and the 
 immense pecuniary capital they have already amassed, which 
 they wield without responsibility and for their own exclusive 
 profit — let him duly reflect on these things in the light of past 
 ages, and he cannot but feel that such a system may become 
 a tremendous curse both to the church and the world ! 
 
 Now, contrast this system and policy of Methodism, with 
 the government and institutions of the Presbyterian Church. 
 With us, the clergy have not the slightest control over the 
 parochial property of the people. Any Presbyterian congre- 
 gation can build a place of worship, whenever they please, 
 and at whatever cost they choose. The deed is drawn ac- 
 cording to their own wishes, and always in the name of the 
 particular congregation who expect to build and pay for it. 
 As the title is thus properly vested in the congregation, they 
 can use it according to their own pleasure, and dispose of it 
 at their own will. If they choose at any time to secede 
 from the Presbyterian denomination, and to unite with any 
 other, so far as the power of the Presbyterian ministry is 
 concerned, they can do so, and yet retain their parochial or 
 congregational property. The civil courts, if invoked, might 
 interfere to protect the civil rights of a minority, if such ex-
 
 134 CHURCH PROPERTY. 
 
 isted, but if the congregation were unanimously in favour of 
 the change, there could be no interference, either ecclesias- 
 tical, or civil. The churches are held by trustees, but the 
 people elect, from among themselves, whomsoever they 
 please — and can re-elect or change them at the expiration of 
 every year. These boards hold the properly for the congre- 
 gation — not subject to the " rules and regulations" which it 
 may please the General Assembly to adopt — but subject to 
 the instructions of their constituents, to whom they are alone 
 . ^sponsible. Having thus secured their house of worship, 
 the congregation are not obliged to receive into their pulpit 
 any man whom the Presbytery or General Assembly might 
 choose to send as their pastor; they have the inalienable 
 right and precious privilege, as Christian freemen, of elect- 
 ing their own spiritual instructor. And having obtained 
 "the man of their choice," as long as the pastoral union is 
 mutually agreeable to the parties, there is no ecclesiastical 
 power that can dissolve the sacred and endearing relation. 
 With regard to the general funds of the Presbyterian 
 Church — they are all managed by boards elected by the joint 
 vote of the ministers and the representatives of the people. 
 These boards are always composed in part of laymen, 
 and their receipts and expenditures are officially and regu- 
 larly published. We have, for example, a board of publi- 
 cation — but unlike the Methodist book concern, the laity 
 have an equal share in its management, and its proceeds are 
 devoted — not to the benefit of the clergy — but to the diffusion 
 of knowledge and piety among the people. We have also 
 our boards of home and foreign missions, which are design- 
 ed to aid in the support of missionaries; but these boards are 
 composed of ministers and laymen, and the appropriations 
 made by their concurrent vote. — In short, there is no institu- 
 tion and no fund, belonging to the Presbyterian Church, over 
 which her ministry have exclusive or irresponsible control.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 Extracts from the Discipline. — Tiie amount of their " annual allowance'' 
 fixed by the Methodist clergy themselves. — Their salary greater than 
 that of the clergy of other denominations. — Probable average amount 
 of the salary of a country circuit preacher, — of one stationed in a 
 large town or city. — Provisions made for the support of supernumera- 
 ry and superannuated preachers, — for the widows and orphans of de- 
 ceased clergymen. — The amount of the allowance of Methodist minis- 
 ters several t'wnes increased by themselves — The testimony of others 
 on these subjects. — Competent and faithful ministers entitled to a libe- 
 ral support. — The salary of Presbyterian pastors regulated by the peo- 
 ple. — The average amount of their salary less than that of the Method- 
 ist preachers. — No provision is made for disabled or worn out Presby- 
 terian ministers, — nor for their widows and orphans. 
 
 That no injustice may be done to our ministerifil brethren 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church on the subject of their 
 pecuniary support, and in order that the reader may have 
 the whole matter fully before him, I will quote, in extenso, the 
 fourth and fifth sections of part II., of the Methodist Book 
 of Discipline. — 
 
 / " SECTION IV. 
 
 " Of the allowance to the ministers and preachers, and to 
 their wives^ widows, and children. 
 
 " 1. The annual allowance of the married, travelling, su- 
 pernumerary, and superannuated preachers, and the bishops, 
 shall be two hundred dollars, and their travelling expenses.
 
 136 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 "2. The annual allowance of the unmarried travelling, 
 supernumerary, and superannuated preachers, and bishops, 
 shall be one hundred dollars, and their travelling expenses. 
 
 " 3. Each child of a travelling preacher or bishop, shall 
 be allowed sixteen dollars annually, to the age of seven 
 years, and twenly-four dollars annually from the age of seven 
 to fourteen years; and those preachers whose wives are dead, 
 shall be allowed for each child annually, a sum sufficient to 
 pay the board of such child or children during the above 
 term of years: — JYevertheless, this rule shall not apply to the 
 children of preachers, whose families are provided for by 
 other means in their circuits respectively. 
 
 " 4. The annual allowance of the widows of travelling, 
 superannuated, worn-out, and supernumerary preachers, and 
 the bishops, shall be one hundred dollars. 
 
 " 5. The orphans of travelling, supernumerary, superan- 
 nuated, and worn-out preachers, and the bishops, shall be 
 allowed by the Annual Conferences the same sums respec- 
 tively which are allowed to the children of living preachers. 
 And on the death of a preacher, leaving a child or children 
 without so much of worldly goods as should be necessary to 
 his, her, or their support, the Annual Conference of which he 
 was a member, shall raise, in such manner as may be deemed 
 best, a yearly sumybr the subsistence arid education of such or- 
 phan child or children, until he, she, or they, shall have ar- 
 rived at fourteen years of age. The amount of which year- 
 ly sum shall be fixed by a committee of the conference at 
 each session in advance. 
 
 " 6. The more effectually to raise the amount necessary to 
 meet the above mentioned allowances, let there be made 
 weekly class collections in all our societies where it is prac- 
 ticable; and also for the support of missions and missionary 
 schools under cur care.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 137 
 
 "7 Local preachers have an allowance in certain cases, 
 as mentioned sec. IX., p. 19G. 
 
 " SECTION V. 
 
 ^' Of raising annual supplies for the propagation of the gos- 
 pel, making up the allowance of the preachers^ ^'c. 
 
 " 1. Every preacher who has the charge of a circuit, shall 
 ■earnestly recommend to every class or society in his circuit, 
 to raise a quarterly or annual collection by voluntary contri- 
 bution, or in such other way or manner as they may judge 
 most expedient from time to time; and the moneys so collect- 
 ed, shall be lodged with the steward or stewards of the cir- 
 cuit, to be brought or sent to the Annual Conferences, wdth 
 a regular account of the sums raised for this purpose in the 
 classes or societies respectively. 
 
 "2. Wherever there remains in the hands of the stewards 
 a surplus of the moneys raised for the use of the circuit 
 preachers, after paying the allowances of the preachers in 
 the circuit, let such surplus be brought or sent to the Annual 
 Conference. 
 
 "3, Every preacher who has the charge of a circuit shall 
 make a yearly collection, and, if expedient, a quarterly one, 
 in every congregation where there is a probability that the 
 people will be willing to contribute; and the money so col- 
 lected shall be lodged in the hands of the steward or stew- 
 ards, and brought or sent to the ensuing Annual Conference, 
 To this end, he may read and enlarge upon the following 
 hints: — 
 
 " ' How shall we send labourers into those parts where 
 they are most of all wanted ? Many are willing to hear, 
 but not to bear the expense. Nor can it as yet be expected 
 18
 
 138 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 of them. Stay till the word of God has touched their hearts, 
 and then they will gladly provide for them that preach it. 
 Does it not lie upon us, in the mean time, to supply their 
 lack of service ? To raise money out of which, from time 
 to time, that expense may be defrayed ? By this means, 
 those who willingly offer themselves may travel through eve- 
 ry part, whether there be societies or not, and stay wherever 
 there is a call, without being burdensome to any. Thus may 
 the gospel, in the life and powder thereof, be spread from sea 
 to sea. Which of you will not rejoice to throw in your mite 
 to promote this glorious work? 
 
 " ' Besides this, in carrying on so large a work through 
 the continent, there are calls for money in various ways, 
 and we must frequently be at a considerable expense, or ihe 
 work must be at a full stop. Many, too, are the occasional 
 distresses of our preachers, or their families, which require 
 an immediate supply, otherwise their hands would hang 
 down, if they were not constrained to depart from the work. 
 
 " ' The money contributed will be brought to the ensuing 
 conference. 
 
 " ' Men and brethren, help ! Was there ever a call like 
 this since you first heard the gospel sound ! Help to re- 
 lieve your companions in the kingdom of Jesus, who are 
 pressed above measure. Bear ye one another's burdens, and 
 so fulfil the law of Christ. Help to send forth able and wil- 
 ling labourers into your Lord's harvest: so shall ye be assist- 
 ants in saving souls from death, and hiding a multitude of 
 sins. Help to propagate the gospel of your salvation to the 
 remotest corners of the earth, till the knowledge of our Lord 
 shall cover the land as the waters cover the sea. So shall it 
 appear to ourselves and all men, that we are indeed one bo- 
 dy, united by one spirit; so shall the baptized heathens be yet 
 again constrained to say, ' see how these Christians love one 
 another ! '
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 13d 
 
 " 4. A public collection shall be made at every Annual and 
 every General Conference, for the above purposes. 
 
 " 5. Let the annual produce of the charter funds, as divid- 
 ed among the several conferences, be applied with the above 
 contributions: but so as not to militate against the rules of 
 the charter fund; and also the annual dividend arising from 
 the profits of the book concern. Out of the moneys so col- 
 lected, and brought to the respective Annual Conferences, 
 let the various allowances agreed upon in the fourth section 
 be made up; but in no case shall an allowance be made to 
 any travelling preacher who has travelled in any circuit where 
 he might, in the judgment of the Annual Conference, have 
 obtained his full quarterage, if he had applied for it: and if, 
 at any conference, there remain a surplus after making up 
 all such allowances, the conference shall send such surplus 
 forward to that conference they judge to be the most neces- 
 sitous. 
 
 "6. Every Annual Conference has full liberty to adopt 
 and recommend such plans and rules as to them may appear 
 necessary the more effectually to raise supplies for the re- 
 spective allowances. Each Annual Conference is authorized 
 to raise a fund, if they judge it proper, subject to its own 
 control, and under such regulations as their wnsdom may di- 
 rect, for the relief of the distressed travelling, superannuated, 
 and supernumerary preachers, their wives, widows, and chil- 
 dren, as also for missionary purposes. 
 
 "7. It shall be the duty of each Annual Conference to 
 take measures, from year to year, to raise moneys in every 
 circuit and station wiihin its bounds, for the relief of its ne- 
 cessitous superannuated and supernumerary ministers, wid- 
 ows, and orphans. — And the conference shall annually ap- 
 point a committee to estimate the several sums necessary to 
 be allowed for the extra expenses of such necessitous claim-
 
 140 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 ants, who shall be paid in proportion to the estimates made 
 and the moneys in hand. 
 
 " 8. If the respective allowances are not raised as provid- 
 ed for, the church shall not be accountable for the deficien- 
 cy, as in a case of debt. 
 
 " 9. To defray the expenses of the delegates composing 
 the General Conference, a collection shall be taken up in 
 each circuit and station, some time previously to the sitting 
 of the conference, and the sums so collected shall be brought 
 up to the General Conference, and applied to the object herein 
 contemplated in proportion to the expenses of the several 
 delegates. 
 
 " Quest. What advice or direction shall be given concern- 
 ing the building or renting of dwelling houses for the use of 
 the married travelling preachers? 
 
 " Jlns. It is recommended by the General Conference to 
 the travelling preachers, to advise our friends in general to 
 purchase a lot of ground in each circuit, and to build a 
 preacher'' s house thereon, and to furnish it with, at least, heavy 
 furniture, and to settle the same on trustees appointed by the 
 Quarterly Meeting Conference, according to the deed of set- 
 tlement published in our form of discipline. 
 
 "2. The General Conference recommend to all the cir- 
 cuits, in cases where they are not able to comply with the 
 above request, to rent a house for the married preacher and 
 his family, (when such are stationed upon their circuits re- 
 spectively,) and that the Annual Conferences do assist to 
 make up the rents of such houses as far as they can, when 
 the circuit cannot do it. 
 
 " The stewards of each circuit and station shall be a stand- 
 ing committee, (where no trustees are constituted for that 
 purpose,) to provide houses for the families of our married 
 preachers, or to assist the preachers to obtain houses for
 
 MINISTEKIAL SUPPORT. 141 
 
 themselves when they are appointed to labour among 
 them. 
 
 " 3. It shall be the duty of the presiding elders and 
 preachers to use their influence to carry the above rules res- 
 pecting building and renting houses for the accommodation 
 of preachers and their families into effect. In order to this, 
 each Quarterly Meeting Conference shall appoint a commit- 
 tee, (unless other measures have been adopted,) who, 
 with the advice and aid of the preachers and presiding el- 
 ders, shall devise such means as may seem fit to raise mo- 
 neys for that purpose. And it is recommended to the Annu- 
 al Conferences to make special inquiry of their members res- 
 pecting this part of their duty. 
 
 "4. Those preachers who refuse to occupy the houses 
 which may be provided for them on the stations and circuits 
 where they are from time to time appointed, shall be allowed 
 nothing for house rent, nor receive any thing more than quar- 
 terage for themselves, their wives, and children, and their 
 travelling expenses. Nevertheless, this rule shall not apply 
 to those preachers whose families are either established with- 
 in the bounds of their circuits, or are so situated that in the 
 judgment of the stewards, or the above mentioned commit- 
 tee, it is not necessary, for the benefit of the circuit, to re- 
 move them. 
 
 " 5. It shall be the duty of the said committee, or one 
 appointed for that purpose, who shall be members of our 
 church, to make an estimate of the amount necessary toyi^r- 
 nish fuel and table expenses for the family or families of 
 preachers stationed with them, and the stewards shall pro- 
 vide, by such means as they may devise, to meet such ex- 
 penses, in money or otherwise: provided the stewards shall 
 not appropriate the moneys collected for the regular quarterly 
 allowance of the preachers to the payment of family expenses^
 
 142 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 "6. There shall be a meeting in every district, of one 
 steward from each station and circuit, to be selected from 
 among the stewards by the Quarterly Meeting Conference, 
 whose duty it shall be, by and with the advice of the presid- 
 ing elder, (who shall preside in such meeting,) to take into 
 consideration the general state of the district in regard to 
 temporalities, and to furnish a house, fuel, and table expen- 
 ses, for the presiding elder, and to apportion his entire claim 
 among the different circuits and stations in the district ac- 
 cording to their several ability. 
 
 " 7. Each Annual Conference in which a bishop or bishops 
 may reside, shall annually appoint a committee of three or 
 more, whose duty it shall be to estimate the amount necessary 
 to furnish a house, fuel, and table expenses for said bishop or 
 bishops, and that they be authorized to draw on the funds of 
 the book concern for said amount." 
 
 From the foregoing sections of the Discipline, the reader 
 will observe that, there is this peculiarity in the Methodist 
 economy, viz , that the preachers themselves fix the 
 amount of the annual " allowance" to themselves, their 
 wives, and children, without consulting the people: 
 and this amount, as we shall presently show, they have from 
 time to time increased, according to their own sovereign plea- 
 sure ! And, certainly, if all that they have decreed and ad- 
 vised, be not regularly and universally received by them, it 
 cannot be for the want of sufficient clerical legislation or 
 earnest recommendation and entreaty ! ! 
 
 It is queer — I will not say suspicious — that the salaries of 
 the ordinary pastors and circuit preachers, should be so 
 mixed up with the subjects of missions and mission schools; 
 — and that the various appropriations for the support of the 
 preachers, should be stated — not in the same — but in differ- 
 ent sections of the Discipline. From the manner in which
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 143 
 
 these different subjects are mingled, it is almost impossible 
 to tell, for what specific object some of the collections are 
 to be made, or in what proportion they are to be distributed 
 among the several objects mentioned. And from the scatter- 
 ed items of ministerial support, it requires a considerable 
 degree of attention to ascertain them all. For instance, if 
 the reader examines " Section IV.," he might readily sup- 
 pose from its title — " Of the allowance to the ministers and 
 preachers, and to their wives, widows, and children" — that 
 all the items are there enumerated. But ihis would be a 
 great mistake. For, in the next section — although it pro- 
 fesses only to speak " Of the raising annual supplies for the 
 propagation of the gospel, making tip the allowance of the 
 preachers," &c. — there are several additional items stated ; 
 — and these are nothing less than " House rent — -furniture — 
 yiicZ — a7id table expenses''"' ! ! This matter, moreover, is so 
 arranged, that it is not possible for the public to ascertain, 
 from the book, what all these items, in the aggregate, actu- 
 ally amount to. All that we can do, therefore, is to gather 
 the items together and give a probable estimate of their val- 
 ue, of the correctness of which the reader must judge for 
 himself. 
 
 I will first enumerate the different items included in the 
 salary of a Methodist preacher who has a family. 
 
 1. He is allowed, annually, for himself and wife, tivo 
 hundred dollars. — Section IV. sub. sec. 1. 
 
 2. His travelling expenses. — lb. 
 
 3. For each child, to the age of seven years, sixteen dol- 
 lars annually ; and twenty-four dollars annually, from the 
 age of seven to fourteen years. — lb. sub sec. 3. 
 
 4. House rent. — Sec. V., sub sections 1 and2. 
 
 5. At least, heavy furniture. — lb., sub sec. 1. 
 
 6. Fuel. — lb., sub. sec. 5. 
 
 7. Table expenses. — lb.
 
 144 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 It appears, therefore, that in addition to the amount which 
 they annually receive for themselves, their wives, their chil- 
 dren, and their travelling expenses, — which is regulated ex- 
 clusively and irresponsibly by themselves, — they have made 
 it the duty of the people to raise an amount sufficient for 
 their fuel and table expenses; and have advised them, either 
 lo build them parsonages, or to rent dwellings for their 
 accommodation, and to furnish them with, at least, heavy 
 furniture. 
 
 I w^ill now give an estimate of the total sum which a Meth- 
 odist circuit preacher, with a wife and five children, two 
 above and three under seven years of age, annually receives, 
 or is allowed by the discipline of his church to receive. 
 This calculation, be it remembered, is made for a country 
 circuit — and that it may be as fair and as accurate as possi- 
 ble, I will take the average of three published estimates that 
 I have met with, from gentlemen of different denominations. 
 Annual allowance for himself and wife, . . $200,00 
 For two children above seven years of age, 
 
 each $24, 48,00 
 
 For three children under seven, each $16, . 48,00 
 For house rent, and the use of heavy furni- 
 ture, probably, about 55,00 
 
 For table expenses, and fuel, probably, about 283,66 
 Travelling expenses, probably, about . . 30,00 
 
 $664,66 
 The above estimate is made, as I have stated, for a coun- 
 try circuit: — the sum total, for a station in a town or large 
 city, must be much greater, as in them, house rent, fuel, and 
 provisions, are so much more expensive. 
 
 I endeavoured — but in vain — to ascertain the precise 
 amount of the salaries of the Methodist preachers stationed 
 in this city (Baltimore) for the last five or six years. I
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 146 
 
 called on " A Methodist" and requested him to furnish me 
 with this information ; but he declared that he could not give 
 it, and referred me to another gentleman — an official and 
 active member of their church. On this gentleman I ac- 
 cordingly waited, and in making the same request, assured 
 him that I wished to state nothing but the truth — and that if 
 he would obtain the information for me, I would publish it 
 just as received. He appeared to be perfectly willing— 
 promised that he would procure the desired intelligence^ 
 and in the course of the conversation stated, that the pastor 
 of Light street church received a salary of twelve hundred 
 dollars, ($1200,00) exclusive of house rent ; but added, that 
 they gave him two hundred dollars more than they otherwise 
 would, because, from his central location, he was obliged to 
 entertain an unusual number of clerical visitors.* After 
 waiting a sufficient time, I wrote the gentleman a note, re- 
 questing him to send me the result of his inquiries, agreeably 
 to his promise. Instead of doing this, he informed the 
 bearer^ that since he understood that I intended to continue 
 the controversy, he must decline giving the information de- 
 sired; and that, when he made the promise, he supposed that 
 the facts, if communicated to me privately, would be seen to 
 be of such a character as to render any farther controversy 
 unnecessary ! ! ! Now, not to insist that, at the time he made 
 the promise, he was distinctly told that I intended to make a 
 public use of the facts, — I will ask, — if the information 
 would be so decisively favourable to Methodism, why not 
 give it? — Would it be withheld if it were so ? Let the pub- 
 lic judge. I mention these circumstances to show, that I 
 was not only willing, but desirous of publishing their own 
 statement, if it could have been procured. 
 
 * This converiatiott took place last fall— 1842. 
 19
 
 146 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 In the absence, therefore, of official and precise accounts, 
 we can only give an estimate of the probable amount of the 
 salaries of the Methodist preachers stationed in the large 
 cities. 
 
 The only detailed estimate, relating to cities, that I have 
 met with, gives the sum total of ^1596,00. That calcula- 
 tion, however, appears to have been made for the city of 
 New York, where the cost of living is unusually high: — in 
 the following estimate, I have deducted nearly fifty 'per cent. 
 from the aggregate amount of the items of travelling expen- 
 ses, house rent, fuel, and table expenses — which is certain- 
 ly a very liberal reduction ! Thus: — 
 
 Annual allowance for himself and wife, . . $200,00 
 For two children above the age of seven 
 
 years, 48,00 
 
 For three children under seven years, . . 48,00 
 For travelling expenses, probably about . 30,00 
 For house rent and the use of heavy furni- 
 ture, 250,00 
 
 For fuel and table expenses, 400,00 
 
 $976,00 
 The above is, I suppose, a fair estimate of the average 
 salary of a Methodist preacher, with such a family, in one of 
 our large cities. No doubt some of them receive more, and 
 some less — and I presume that, the amount varies, according 
 to the cost of living in different places, and as " prices" are 
 elevated or depressed. From the statement of the gentle- 
 man before referred to, it appears that the salary of one of 
 their pastors, in this city, during the past year, was $1200,00, 
 exclusive of his house rent, which, if included, would make 
 his salary equal to about fifteen hundred dollars per 
 ANNUM. If from this, we deduct $200,00, the additional
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 147 
 
 sum said to be given for the entertainment of strangers, it 
 would still leave one thousand dollars, exclusive of Louse 
 rent, — which is two hundred and seventy-four dollars more 
 than the amount which I have given above as the probable 
 average of their salaries, exclusive of house rent. In other 
 words, the estimate of their average salary which I have 
 given, is less, by four hundred and seventy-four dollars, 
 than the amount said to be actually received by the pastor of 
 one of their churches in this city. 
 
 With the items, however, before him let the reader judge 
 for himself: — And if he has any knowledge of the genteel 
 manner in which the Methodist pastors live, and any person- 
 al experience of the cost of house-keeping, let him say 
 whether he could honestly support himself, a wife, and five 
 children, in such a style and in such a city as this, for much 
 less than the average sum I have mentioned ! 
 
 It is probable that the salaries of the Methodist pastors, in 
 our principal cities, are not as large as those of the pastors 
 of some other churches, but the number stationed in these is 
 comparatively small, and they are not allowed, according to 
 the discipline, "to remain in the same station more than 
 two years successively." — Chap. I., sec. 4. That the com- 
 pensation of those of them, who are stationed in the coun- 
 try, is greater than that of the pastors of other churches, 
 similarly located, there can be no doubt. And when a gen- 
 eral comparison is drawn, between the support of the Meth- 
 odist clergy, and that of the ministry of other denomina- 
 tions, — the reference is not to an insignificant number of 
 them, or to a few places, — but to the whole body, and the 
 entire country. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing provisions, for the support of 
 those preachers who are actively engaged in fulfilling their
 
 148 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 appointments, there are others mentioned in the discipline, 
 for the support of such ministers as are unemployed, disabled, 
 or superannuated; as also for the widows and orphans of de- 
 ceased clergymen. 
 
 If, for example, there are more preachers than places, the 
 Book provides, that all '■^ supernumeraries''^^ together with 
 their wives, shall receive the same monied allowance as those 
 who are actively fulfilling appointments. — Part II. ^ sec. 4. 
 
 If they are " worn-out,''^ or " superannuated,^^ they and 
 their wives continue to receive the same monied allowance 
 as if they were still actively and regularly employed. — lb. 
 So that, if a Methodist preacher is disabled from preaching 
 after being but a few months in the service, the allowance is 
 continued, both to himself, and his wife, as long as they live 
 — it may be for half a century. 
 
 And if, in any case, the salary of the travelling preachers 
 and the monied allowance of the supernumerary, disabled, 
 and superannuated ministers, should not prove sufficient, it 
 is made the duty of the Annual Conference to provide yifr- 
 ther and immediate relief. — " Many, too, are the occasion- 
 al distresses of our preachers, or their families, which re- 
 quire an immediate supply, otherwise their hands would 
 hang down, if they were not constrained to depart from the 
 work." — Dis., part II., sec. 5. — And again — " It shall be 
 the duty of each Annual Conference to take measures, from 
 year to year, to raise moneys in every circuit and station 
 within its bounds, for the relief of its necessitous, superan- 
 nuated and supernumerary ministers, widows and orphans. 
 And the conference shall annually appoint a committee to 
 estimate the several sums necessary to be allowed for the ex- 
 tra expenses of such necessitous claimants, who shall be 
 paid in proportion to the estimates made and the moneys in 
 hand."— J6.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 149 
 
 With regard to the widoivs and orphans of their deceased 
 clergy, it is provided: — " The annual allowance of the wid- 
 oios of travelling, superannuated, worn-out, and supernume- 
 rary preachers, and the bishops, shall be one hundred dollars. 
 The orphans of travelling, supernumerary, superannuted,and 
 worn-out preachers, and the bishops, shall be allowed by the 
 Annual Conferences the same sums respectively which are 
 allowed to the children of living preachers." — lb. 
 
 If on the death of a preacher, it should appear that the 
 above allowance, with what he may have bequeathed to 
 them, is not sufficient for the support and education of his 
 orphans, the Book further provides, — that "the Annual Con- 
 ference of which he was a member, shall raise^ in such man- 
 ner as may be deemed best, a yearly sum for the subsistence 
 and education of such orphan child or children^ until he, she, 
 or they, shall have arrived at fourteen years of age. The 
 amount of which yearly sum shall be fixed by a committee 
 of the conference at each session in advance." — lb. That 
 is, no matter how large a fortune a Methodist preacher may 
 leave behind him, his widow and orphans are entitled to re- 
 ceive the allowances previously mentioned; — but, if he dies 
 poor, in addition to such allowances, this part of the dis- 
 cipline provides, that the conference shall raise, if necessa- 
 ry, an extra sum, sufficient for the " subsistence and educa- 
 tion" of his children. — How disingenuous, therefore, it is to 
 say — that the poor widow of a Methodist preacher receives 
 only one hundred dollars annually for herself, sixteen dollars 
 for each child under seven years of age, and twenty-four 
 dollars for each child above seven years — when it is express- 
 ly provided that, if more be necessary for the " subsistence 
 and education" of the children, the conference shall annually 
 raise it !
 
 150 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 And if with all these liberal provisions for their widows 
 and orphans, there should be any " orcrtsio?ia/" distresses 
 among them, we have already shown that the Book makes it 
 the duty of the Conference to afford them immediate relief. 
 — Sec. 5, sub. sec. 1. 
 
 Thus it appears, from their own showing, that the Method- 
 ist preachers have ampl}^ provided for the support of them- 
 selves and families, not only whilst actively engaged in 
 preaching the gospel, but also towards their subsistence in 
 sickness and old age — and even wdiile " supernumeraries I " 
 And that they have likewise made very liberal provision for 
 their wives and children, after their death. "We may safely 
 and confidently affirm, that there is no body of clergy in this 
 country, who receive, while living, so ample a support; or 
 whose families, after their decease, are so liberally provided 
 for. 
 
 I have already remarked, that the Mswa^ and definite pvo\i- 
 sions which are made for the support of the Methodist 
 preachers and their families, during their life, and, after their 
 decease, of their widows and orphans, were fixed and are 
 appropriated by themselves, without the voice or concur- 
 rence of the laity. And so the additional appropriations for 
 the relielf of the preachers and their families "occasionally 
 distressed," and the "extra" allowance for the "subsist- 
 ence and education" of the orphans of deceased poor min- 
 isters, are estimated and appropriated by the Conference 
 alone or a committee appointed by them from their own cleri- 
 cal body. 
 
 It appears, also, that they have, from time to time, increas- 
 ed their " monied allowance," by simply voting among them- 
 selves that it should be increased ! ! And if, at any future 
 time, they should judge the present sum inadequate, and
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 151 
 
 should be of the opinion that their financial resources would 
 justify a further increase, they would have nothing to do, ac- 
 cording to their form of government and their past practice, 
 but pass a resolution in their General Conference to raise 
 their salaries, and their salaries would be raised ! ! ! Prior 
 to the year 1800, the annual "money allowance" of a 
 preacher and his wife was ^128,00, — then it was increased 
 to $160,00, — and since then it has been increased to 
 $200,00. — And, from time to time, other and valuable pro- 
 visions have been " agreed upon !" by them, for the benefit 
 of themselves and fiiinilies — their widows and orjihans. As 
 a specimen of their method of proceeding, take the follow- 
 ing extracts from Lee's History, chap. X., pp. 267 and 269. 
 — "At this conference it was agreed to raise the allowance 
 of the travelling jireachers, &c., * four dollars in each quar- 
 ter; which will amount to $80,00 per year, instead of sixty- 
 four. We also agreed to make some allowance for the 
 children of preachers, and for orphans. **** Until this time 
 our preachers were to give an account of all the private gifts 
 they received, whether it were money, clothing, or any thing 
 else, towards their support; and it was to go in part of their 
 quarterage, or else it was to be applied to make up the defi- 
 ciencies of the other preachers at the next conference. At 
 this conference it was agreed, the preacher might receive any 
 present, and not give an account thereof." 
 
 It has been said, however, that the Methodist preachers 
 do not in general receive the full amount of their salaries. 
 This, if true, would be no more than what might be said of 
 every other body of protestant clergy in the land — for very 
 
 •Thisei cetera refers to the superannnated. worn-out, and supernumerary 
 preachers, the wives of all the preachers, and their widows — the annual 
 allowance of each being increased in the same ratio.
 
 152 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 many of them do not receive the nominal amount which is 
 promised them, though this nominal amount is, in most 
 cases, much less than the nominal value of the various pro- 
 visions made for the support of the Methodist preachers as 
 stated in their Book of Discipline. But we have reason to 
 believe that, in general, the Methodist clergy do receive the 
 full amount — or nearly the full amount — prescribed in the 
 discipline, and that the exceptions, if any, are comparative- 
 ly few. We may not only infer this from their peculiar 
 method of " raising supplies," and from the number and vast- 
 ness of their financial resources, — but we have the direct testi- 
 mony of those who were once themselves " itinerants," and 
 who therefore testify from personal knowledge. As to the 
 suggestion of " A Methodist," that the nominal amount fix- 
 ed by the Discipline is intended merely as " a standard by 
 which the overplus and deficiency may be regulated" — we 
 inquire — if this were so, why was the amount increased ? 
 ■■ — If it were intended merely as a nominal standard, $80,00 
 would have answered that purpose as well as $100,00 — or 
 $64,00 as well as $80,00 ! ! The very fact, therefore, that 
 the amount has been from time to time increased, is suffi- 
 cient proof that it is generally received: — and even with 
 respect to the exceptions, they may be relieved under the 
 head of ^^ occasional distresses," which, in the language of 
 the Discipline, "require an inmiediate supply, otherwise their 
 hands would hang down, if they were not constrained to de- 
 part from the work." 
 
 Having thus exhibited, from the discipline of the Method- 
 ist Episcopal Church, the various provisions which are made 
 for the support of their ministers and families, and expressed 
 my own opinion upon them in detail; I will now cite the pub- 
 lished opinions of others in confirmation of the correctness 
 of my views.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 153 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Schmucker, of the Lutheran Church, in 
 the letters to Avliich I have previously referred, thus writes: — 
 
 " In a recent work, termed 'Popular Theology,' I felt it 
 a duty when discussing the different modes of ministerial 
 support in Europe and America, to mention also that of the 
 Methodist Church. I have known many members of the 
 Lutheran, Reformed, and Presbyterian Churches, who light- 
 ly esteemed their own pastors, because they had been stig- 
 matized as money preachers by some disingenuous circuit 
 rider, who was himself receiving a larger salary than they. 
 I therefore deemed it a duty, not indeed to ' misrepresent' the 
 Methodist system, but to let the truth be known. In order 
 to commit no error, I quoted the very words of the discip- 
 line, referring to the page and section, and even specifying 
 the edition contained in my library, that of 1825; and omit- 
 ting nothing which I found on this subject. The relevant 
 passages in the discipline are the following:" — (these I omit 
 because they have been already quoted, see pp. 135 — 142.) 
 
 " Now, let it be remembered," continues Dr. Schumcker, 
 " that these are literal extracts from the discipline, and are 
 all that I find on the amount and contingencies of ministe- 
 rial salary. Take an average case, say a minister with a 
 wife and five children, two above and three under seven 
 years, and what is his salary at the above rates ? The table 
 expenses, that is, provisions of every kind to board the fami- 
 ly, omitting the youngest child, at the rate of $1,00 per 
 week amounts to $312; house rent $60; travelling expenses 
 to conference and on his circuit $25; the additional allow- 
 ance for himself, wife and children, $296; in all $693. If 
 his family is larger, his salary increases, if smaller, it is di- 
 minished in the same ratio. If he keep domestics, their 
 boarding is found. If provisions rise in value, or he reside 
 in a city, he loses nothing, his salary rises with it. An indi- 
 20
 
 154 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 vidual minister in a neighbouring city, I am credibly inform- 
 ed, receives $1000 in money, for his table expenses and 
 house rent alone, besides all the other allowances above 
 detailed ! I will not say it is too much, but merely state 
 the fact as an example of the rise of table expenses and 
 house rent. Now, what denomination of Christians is 
 there in our land, whose ministers generally would not glad- 
 ly accept this provision? Especially, as the prospect of re- 
 ceiving the amount promised, is probably at least as good as 
 in other churches. If the salary promised to other ministers, 
 is not made up by the congregation, they loose it all. But 
 if all the collections and subscriptions, public and private, 
 by the minister, and by the steward, (which the Discipline 
 says, sometimes overrun the above allowance) do not togeth- 
 er amount to his salary, he reports the deficiency to the An- 
 nual Conference, and receives from other funds, either the 
 whole or part of it, as the dividend for that year may allow. 
 Besides all this, says the discipline, ' there are many occa- 
 sional distresses of our preachers or {heu families ^ which re- 
 quire' additional allowance, ' lest their hands hang down,' or 
 they be ' constrained to depart from the work.' Again, if 
 the above minister becomes disabled, even in the first year 
 of his ministry, his own allowance runs on for life, and for 
 six months' service, he may possibly receive his salary for 
 twenty or forty years. And not only his own salary thus 
 runs on, but after four years from his reception as a preach- 
 er, the allowance of his wife also runs on for life, even if he 
 is disabled from preaching. And finally, on his death, his 
 wife receives the same sum as before, and his children IQ 
 dollars each, as near as the funds will admit." — (At present, 
 as the Dr. himself observed in a subsequent letter, after see- 
 ing a later edition of the Discipline, — the orphans are allow- 
 ed " the samis sums respectively which are allowed to the 
 children of living preachers" — and if left poor, any addi-
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 155 
 
 tlonal sum ihat may be deemed, by a committee of confer- 
 ence, necessary for their "subsistence and education." — 
 Dis., ed. 1842, part II., sec. 4.) "■ These, fellow citizens," 
 continues the Dr., " are the explicit provisions made by the 
 travellinj^ preachers, in the disciplme, in behalf of them- 
 selves; for let it not be forgotten, that the local preacher, 
 however faithful or able, receives not a cent. The itinerants, 
 who engross all the legislative power of the whole church, 
 have thought best to keep all the money to themselves; thus 
 pronouncing the services of local preachers undeserving of 
 any reward, also both them and all lay members unworthy of 
 a seat or vote in their legislative judicatories. And now 
 the question arises, whether the very few remarks upon this 
 system in ray book are misrepresentations. I have there 
 said, p. 194, ' the support of Methodist ministers we regard 
 as a full competency, and have only often been surprised, that 
 they should still complain of its insufficiency, especially as 
 its provisions very justly extend to sickness, to old age, to 
 widows and orphans.' Whether calling their allowance a 
 full competency misrepresents the discipline, judge ye. One 
 thing I am certain of, that a very large number of able, faith- 
 ful pastors of other churches would be glad to accept this 
 mode of support; because the amount promised is greater, and 
 the prospect of getting it better, than in the average cases of 
 most, if not all other churches. **** 
 
 " And what, if in some poor stations, or in better stations 
 under some unpopular preacher, all their collections at quar- 
 terly meetings, and camp meetings, and subscriptions to the 
 preacher and steward, together with his allowance from the 
 general fund, do not amount to his fixed salary, yea, fall far 
 short of it; these cases are exceptions, and the discipline must 
 be supposed to represent the general rule. And do not min- 
 isters in every other church often fail to receive the full
 
 166 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 amount of their stipulated salary ? even when that sum is 
 far less than the above ? How many receive but half the 
 amount of their unavoidable expenses, and must either la- 
 bour or teach school to aid in defraying them, or be involv- 
 ed in bankruptcy? But if such an extreme case occurs to 
 a Methodist preacher, is he left to struj^gle with his fate and 
 trust to Providence for deliverance ? — No, for lo ! it is writ- 
 ten in the discipline, that, ' lest his hands fall,' or ' he depart 
 from the work,' an immediate supply is required for this ' oc- 
 casional distress.' Is this, perhaps, the meaning of that 
 phrase, in general so differently understood, that a Method- 
 ist minister is not permitted to go in debt } How happy 
 would many other ministers be, to be robbed in the same 
 manner of that liberty? To be compelled to do a cash bu- 
 siness, and in case of absolute inability, to meet unavoidable 
 demands, be able to refer to the clause of the Discipline 
 on ' occasional distresses !' In short, many sensible mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Church are but imperfectly acquainted 
 with that complicated system of finance, by which their tra- 
 velling preachers secure to themselves a substantial indepen- 
 dence for life. **** 
 
 " Now, let it be remembered, that of all these various and 
 seasonable provisions, copied literally from the discipline it- 
 self, my book utters no censure, but merely dares to pro- 
 nounce them a full competency. And what tradesman, what 
 farmer, what man of reasonable expectations in any business, 
 would not consider them in the same light? It is worthy 
 of remark, too, that the Methodist travelling preachers, who 
 possess the exclusive power of fixing the amount of their 
 own allowance (lay members having merely the privilege of 
 paying the money by direct subscriptions, or in profits on 
 books,) have evinced no backwardness in legislating on the 
 subject. Their table provisions, house rent, and travelling
 
 MINISTKRIAL SUPPORT. 157 
 
 expenses, they may, for aught we know, have allowed them- 
 selves from the beginning; yet their additional monied al- 
 lowance for themselves and wives, has several times been en- 
 larged^ but never diminished. Of the precise amount, we 
 are not absolutely certain, but state on the authority of one of 
 the principal members of that church in this place, that it 
 was first $64 each, then $80, and now we know it is $100." 
 (See quotation from Lee's History, p. 151.) " If this al- 
 lowance were merely nominal, they would not have raised it. 
 But this is far from beingthe case. And even the collection 
 of it is not accompanied with the same trouble as in other 
 churches generally, a large portion of it being derived from 
 general funds. What they do receive, is settled within the 
 year, and their dividend for the deficiency, if any, they re- 
 ceive at the conference which terminates the year; whilst 
 the ministers of other denominations must often wait, two, 
 three, or more years, for a considerable portion of what they 
 do receive. Who ever heard of a case in the Methodist 
 Church, similar to the following, mentioned in the ' North 
 American Review:' A country parish in New Hampshire, 
 proposed to their pastor to raise his salary from $250 to 
 $300. ' Spare me, my Christian friends,' replied the wor- 
 thy man, ' it is a weary burden to collect $250; I should be 
 worn to death by trying to scramble together $300.' 
 
 " We will now take leave of this topic," continues Dr. 
 Schmucker, " by introducing the testimony of a Methodist 
 minister, who knew all about the system from personal ob- 
 servation and experience. This letter is taken from the New 
 Haven '■Religious Intelligencer,'' (for 1833, p. 793,) one of 
 the most respectable and authentic periodicals in America, 
 and the minister's name was publicly offered by Mr. Whit- 
 ing, the editor, if applied for: 
 
 " ' Mr. Whiting — 1 have read your paper of the 18th of 
 January, on the support of the ministry. The following re-
 
 158 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 marks and facts are at your disposal, to use as you may think 
 proper. I should wish to observe, that I myself was brought 
 up a Methodist, and my parents are to this hour members of 
 that society. I have also been a preacher in that denomina- 
 tion a number of years. In the year , for reasons which 
 
 it will not be profitable to mention here, I thought it my du- 
 ty to request a dismission from that body, with a certificate 
 of my standing, for the purpose of connecting myself with 
 the Congregational or Presbyterian churches. As there was 
 nothing against my religious and moral character, I was ac- 
 cordingly dismissed; and united myself to a respectable as- 
 sociation of Congregational ministers in New England. 
 Soon after this, I had a call to settle with the church and 
 congregation of which I am now pastor. From this state- 
 ment, you wdll easily conclude, that I must be well acquaint- 
 ed with the doctrine and discipline of the Methodists. It 
 is with the utmost satisfaction I come forward, unsolicited 
 by any mortal, to bear testimony to the tr.uth of your state- 
 mejits, as it respects the salaries of Methodist preachers. 
 To the honor of the Methodists, I can say, I always receiv- 
 ed my salary with great punctuality, and uniformly met with 
 the utmost kindness from them.' [" Here," says Dr. S., 
 *' he enters into calculations, which I omit, because they are 
 exactly like those in my former communication, excepting 
 that he actually received $4,00 a week boarding for himself 
 and wife, whilst I put them at $2."] 'As it respects their not 
 getting what the discipline allows, it is true, this may be the 
 case in some few cases; but without any reflection on the 
 Methodist preachers as a body, most of those men are of 
 that class, who would get far less in almost any other situa- 
 tion, and especially as ministers of religion. I have made 
 the proposal several times to my society, to place my salary 
 on the plan of the Methodist discipline.' [" Here," says 
 Dr. S., " he compares his salary with what it would be in
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 159 
 
 the Methodist Church, and finds that for himself, wife, four 
 children and ' boarding for a servant maid^^ his salary, by 
 the discipline, would be raised $28, and the house rent! "] 
 ' That (he respectable Methodist preachers do get their sala- 
 ries, is a fi\ct which we cannot doubt. I can at any time 
 bring forward cases, in which Methodist preachers have re- 
 ceived the notes of the circuit stewards on interest for the 
 balance of their salary for the year, in cases where it has not 
 been promptly paid. That the Methodists do support their 
 ministers, and have made ample provision for the same, is 
 perfectly clear; and it is the disgrace of many of our socie- 
 ties, that they do not consider the subject sufficiently.' " 
 
 I will now cite the opinion of the Rev. W. Annan, of the 
 Presbyterian Church, and the reader will observe, that his 
 estimate of the average salary of the Methodist preachers, 
 is LESS than Dr. Schmucker's, and considerably less than that 
 of the writer, whom I shall subsequently quote. And I cite 
 the opinion of Mr. Annan, chiefly, that the reader may have 
 before him each of the three estimates, the average of which 
 I have given on page 144. 
 
 " Jt is the deliberate conviction of our mind," says Mr. 
 Annan, " after a pretty careful examination, that in relation 
 to this matter, the preachers of Methodism are dealt with 
 more generously (or rather have provided for themselves more 
 liberally) than the ministers of any other branch of the Ame- 
 rican church. In this, they have only practised upon the 
 principle avowed by the founder of their system. ' I know,' 
 says Wesley, (works, vol. I., p. 78,) 'the spiritual labourer 
 is worthy of his reward; and that if we sow to our flock 
 spiritual things, it is meet that we reap of their carnal 
 things: I do not therefore blame, no, not in any degree, a 
 minister'' s taking a yearly salary.^ It is true, the impres- 
 sion is often made, that whilst the ministers of other denomi-
 
 160 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 nations are abundantly paid for their labours, the Methodist 
 preachers not only receive no pecuniary compensation, but 
 indignantly spurn the thought, as degrading them down to a 
 level with hireling priests. Whether this impression is in- 
 tentionally left upon the minds of the people, we know not; 
 we only state the fact. It should be kept in mind, moreo- 
 ver, that when we speak of the compensation of Methodist 
 preachers, we mean the travelling preachers and circuit riders; 
 the local preacher receives no {)ay by the rules of the discip- 
 line, except when he 'fills the place of the travelling preacher.' 
 " Let us now examine what provision is made in the 
 Book of Discipline for remunerating the travelling ministry 
 for their toils, always bearing in mind, that be it scant or libe- 
 ral, it is precisely what these preachers have legislated into 
 their own pockets; and that at their pleasure, it may be in- 
 creased to any practicable extent, without consulting the 
 people who pay it." [Here follow the several items from the 
 discipline, which have been already stated.] 
 
 ^' Thus far the discipline. Now let us sum up. We will 
 take an average case, say a preacher with a wife and five 
 children, two above and t/iree under seven years of age. The 
 account will stand as follows: 
 
 Annual allowance to the preacher, . . . $100,00 
 
 do do to the preacher's wife, . . 100,00 
 
 Two children above seven, $24 each, . . 48,00 
 
 Three children under seven, $16 each, . . 48,00 
 
 Table expenses, or boarding, at 75 cents each 
 
 per week, for six persons, omitting the 
 
 youngest child, and omitting domestics, . 234.00 
 
 House rent, 45,00 
 
 Travelling expenses to the conference, &c., 25,00 
 
 $600,00
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 161 
 
 " This allowance of six hundred dollars is greatly increas- 
 ed, if the preacher's family numbers eight or ten. And should 
 he become disabled by accident or infirmity, the allowance is 
 continued to him and his children, even though he should be 
 laid aside in the early part of his ministry; so that for a few 
 years', or weeks', or days' service, he and his family may re- 
 ceive their allowance for half a century. And when he 
 goes to rest from his labours, he has the consolation of know- 
 ing that his widow and children will not be cast upon the 
 cold charity of an unfeeling w'orld, but will be provided with 
 a very respectable annual allowance. Well may we inquire 
 with Dr. Schmucker, ' what denomination of Christians is 
 there in our land, whose ministers would not gladly accept 
 this provision ?' 
 
 " Nothing but the necessity of defending ourselves against 
 the ungenerous assaults of our adversaries, would constrain 
 us to enter into these minute calculations. Since, however, 
 they have provoked the discussion, we esteem it to be our 
 duty to let the Christian public know the whole truth. 
 It should be remembered, therefore, that the foregoing esti- 
 mates are made for a region of country where the ordinary 
 salaries of the ministers of other denominations rate from 
 $400 to $500 — rarely above the latter sum, except in a few 
 instances in large and expensive villages, and their vicinity; 
 and often less than the former amount — $400. With what 
 shadow of truth or justice, then, are these men denounced 
 by the ' preachers,' whose allowance by their own Discipline, 
 is considerably larger? This their most zealous advocates 
 are compelled to admit. The Discipline moreover, is the 
 handy work of the preachers exclusively. This sum, there- 
 fore, ($600,) is the annual compensation which they have 
 ordained to be due for their ministerial services. This is the 
 sum ihey will receive j if they can get it, and which they have 
 21
 
 162 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 passed the requisite laws to secure, provided the people will 
 submit to be taxed to this amount. What then becomes of 
 their voluntary poverty ? Ought they not to blush for the 
 outcry which they have raised respecting the large salaries of 
 the clergy of other branches of the church ? Is it fair, is it 
 honest, to indulge in harsh reflections and taunting insinua- 
 tions against ministers who do not receive, in numberless 
 instances, so large a salary as Methodist preachers have de- 
 creed to he not too large a sum for a clergyman with a certain 
 family ? 
 
 " In confirmation of the above estimate, the Rev. R. S. 
 Storrs, in a letter to the editor of the ' Home Missionary,' 
 speaking of Lower Canada, writes as follows: ' The salary 
 of the Methodist ministers is fixed at one hundred guineas 
 per annum, with a furnished dwelling house; and thirty 
 guineas are added when there are three children; and ten 
 guineas more on the addition of each child to the family.* 
 So that a preacher with four children, would receive one 
 hundred and forty guineas, which, with a furnished dwelling 
 house, would be worth between seven and eight hundred dol- 
 lars. And yet Mr; Storrs says, ' the expense of living in 
 Canada is comparatively small.' 
 
 " We are not sufficiently in possession of the facts to 
 form a detailed estimate for our largest sized towns and ci- 
 ties. The following statements however, will afford a clue 
 to explain how these matters are managed there. In the 
 trial of an action for libel in New York, brought by Azor 
 Hoyt against Rev. Messrs. Waugh, Emory, Bangs and J. 
 Collard, — Rev. Mr. Durbin (now president of Dickinson 
 College) testified as follows: * My salary is twelve hundred 
 and fifty dollars annually; that of Mr. Bangs, I think, fifteen 
 hundred or upwards — that of Mr. Merritt, about twelve hun- 
 dred — that of Mr. Waugh, sixteen hundred — that of Mr.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 163 
 
 Mason is, I think, over one thousand and under fifteen hun- 
 dred dollars.'' Now, whether it is understood that besides 
 this raonied compensation, these gentlemen receive a fur- 
 nished house, rent free, table expenses, dec, according to 
 the discipline, we are not informed. If so, the forepoinfr 
 sums would be swelled to a very handsome remuneration for 
 their toils.* **** 
 
 " In conclusion: If such be the poverty of the ministry 
 of Methodism, I presume there are but few who, in relation 
 to themselves, would refuse to write upon it, ' perpefua eslc* 
 Six or seven hundred dollars secured in compensation of la- 
 bours, for the right performance of which there has not been 
 any preparatory expenditure worthy of notice, is no mean pro- 
 vision for the good things of this life. In most other denomi- 
 nations, the intended minister is required to pass through a 
 course of training, from seven to twelve years in duration, 
 in which he must expend a small estate before he can enter 
 upon the duties of his profession; and if, in the providence 
 of God, he is disabled by disease or accident after the few 
 first years or weeks of his ministry, he must resign his 
 charge, and of course his means of subsistence, to some 
 more favoured occypant. Not so the preacher of Method- 
 ism. After the expiration of the few first years or weeks of 
 his ministry, even though reduced by the visitation of Hea- 
 ven to a state of utter helplessness, he is entitled to a clear 
 income for himself and wife of two hundred dollars, or the 
 interest of three thousand three hundred and thirty three dol- 
 lars; and his children are also provided for. It may be ques- 
 
 * From the largeness of the sums mentioned, I suppose that their " ta- 
 ble expenses" were included in them; but it is highly probable that they 
 were accommodated with dwelling houses rent free — and as rents are ve- 
 ry high in New York, this alone would greatly swell the amount of their 
 actual salaries.
 
 164 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 tioned whether any man, minister or layman, would be con- 
 sidered far from the pathway of wealth, who, in four years, 
 or as it may be, in four days, with scarce any previous ex- 
 penditure, and with no risk of pecuniary loss, could realize 
 an annual income of equal magnitude. And should the 
 preacher survive for fifty years in a state of incapacity, and 
 his wife be also spared, they will be entitled to draw the 
 sum of ten thousand dollars, besides the support of their chil- 
 dren." — Difficulties of Arminian Methodism, letter VIIL, p. 
 283, ^c. 
 
 I will now cite the opinion of an able writer, who publish- 
 ed a series of articles on Methodism, in 1834, in the 
 " Christian Intelligencer'' of New York — the organ of the 
 Protestant Reformed Dutch Church. The following extracts 
 are taken from No. VI., entitled " The salaries lohich the dif- 
 ferent grades of ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 are called to receive. 
 
 " In regard to the temporal economy of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, our limits will allow us to notice only the 
 most important facts. It shall be our aim to state these facts 
 fairly as they appear in the Book of Discipline. 
 
 " The first fact to be observed is, that the buildings erect- 
 ed and occupied as Methodist Episcopal meeting houses, 
 with their appendages, belong in no instance to the people of 
 the several congregations; but every meeting house, in the 
 United States, belongs to the General Conference. ** * 
 
 " The next particular to be noticed, is the allowed sala- 
 ries of the Methodist Episcopal itinerant preachers. ' The 
 annual allowance of the travelling preachers, shall be one 
 hundred dollars and their travelling expenses.' This is small 
 enough to satisfy the scruples of the most jealous hater of 
 clerical salaries. But it is written also in the Book of Dis- 
 cipline, that ' the annual allowance of the wives of travel-
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 165 
 
 ling preachers shall be one hundred dollars.' Surely it is no 
 more than right that the wife of a travelling preacher who is 
 bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, should be provided 
 for as well as himself. ' Each child of a travelling preach- 
 er shall be allowed sixteen dollars annually to the age of 
 seven years, and twenty-four dollars annually from the age 
 of seven to fourteen years.' In another part of the Book 
 of Discipline, it is made ihe duty of the people in each cir- 
 cuit or station, to provide the preacher with a house, and ' to 
 furnish it, at least, with heavy furniture.' A Methodist 
 Episcopal travelling preacher and his wife and children can- 
 not live comfortably, without a house to shelter them, and 
 heavy furniture to use, more readily than preachers of other 
 sects and their families. It is also made the duty of a cer- 
 tain committee, to estimates the amount necessary to pay for 
 the fuel or fire-wood and the table expenses of the preach- 
 er's family; and the duty of the stewards to provide the esti- 
 mated amount, in money or otherwise, by such means as 
 they may devise. A Methodist Episcopal itinerant preacher 
 and the members of his family, have ' eyes, organs and di- 
 mensions,' as well as preachers of other sects and their fami- 
 lies. They are ' fed with the same kind of food, hurt with 
 the same w^eapons, subject to the same diseases, warmed by 
 the same summer, and cooled by the same winter,' as 
 preachers of other sects and their families. And since they 
 have found all this to be true, it is not wonderful that the 
 General Conference has passed a law making it the duty of 
 the people to provide them with fuel, and to defray their ta- 
 ble expenses. Suppose, then, the case of a married preach- 
 er with two children, from seven to fourteen years of age, 
 and three children under seven years of age, — his annual al- 
 lowance amounts to two hundred and ninety-six dollars. If 
 such a man can be supplied, in addition to this, with a
 
 166 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 house, and with half his household furniture, and with fuel, 
 and with what will meet his table expenses, and with his 
 travelling expenses as he rides round his circuit, or journeys 
 to the conferences; and if he can receive, besides, the little 
 and occasional free-will offerings of his people; and if his 
 people will sometimes go round into congregations of other 
 denominations and beg for him; how much is his living worth 
 in money? Certainly, it is worth not less, but more than 
 the average salary of all the Reformed Dutch, Presbyterian, 
 and Congregational ministers in the United States. Certain- 
 ly there are very many Reformed Dutch, Presbyterian, and 
 Congregational ministers, who would gladly exchange their 
 salaries for the support of Methodist Episcopal circuit 
 preachers. Certainly, very few Reformed Dutch, Presbyte- 
 rian, and Congregational societies would undertake to pay 
 their pastors at the rate of the allowance and perquisites of 
 the Methodist Episcopal travelling clergy. But the items 
 already enumerated^ are not the whole. Let the itinerant 
 preacher hold on till he is superannuated, or worn-out, and 
 he is still entitled to receive, whether rich or poor, one hun- 
 dred dollars annually for himself; and if he has a wife, one 
 hundred dollars annually for her. When he dies, whether in 
 early life or old in years, whether independent or insolvent, 
 he leaves to his widow and his orphans, a right to draw the 
 same allowance which he might have drawn for them had 
 he lived. It is also made the duty of the Annual Confer- 
 ence to ' raise in such manner as may be deemed best, a year- 
 ly sum for the subsistence and education of such orphan 
 child, or children,' as may be left entirely destitute by a de- 
 ceased member of the Annual Conference, ' until he, she, or 
 they, shall have arrived at fourteen years of age. The 
 amount of which yearly sum shall be fixed by a committee 
 of the conference at each session, in advance.' How^ much
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 167 
 
 would it be worth to a Reformed Dutch, Presbyterian, or 
 Congregational preacher, if, instead of being called to trust 
 implicitly in ' the God of the widow and the Father of the 
 fatherless,' he might enjoy the assurance that his wife and 
 children, in case of his removal, should be partakers in some 
 such tangible provision against want ? 
 
 " Let us endeavour to make a fair estimate of the total 
 sum which a circuit preacher with a wife and two children 
 from seven to fourteen years of age, and three under seven 
 years, annually receives, or is allowed by the Book of Dis- 
 cipline to receive. 
 
 " Allowed to receive for himself, .... $100,00 
 
 For his wife, 100,00 
 
 For two children from seven to fourteen years 
 
 of age, 48,00 
 
 For three children under seven years of age, 48,00 
 For travelling expenses, probably, about . 40,00 
 For house rent and the use of ' heavy furni- 
 ture, probably, about 60,00 
 
 For fuel, probably, about 40,00 
 
 For table expenses, estimated by a commit- 
 tee, (one member with which we are ac- 
 quainted,) a few years since, at about . 265,00 
 
 Total sum, . $701,00 
 " In this statement we have omitted to mention, that a 
 circuit preacher in riding round his circuit is absent from his 
 family a great part of his time, and necessarily obtains his 
 boarding and horse keeping amongst his people, free of ex- 
 pense to himself. If these items were taken into the account, 
 they would swell his allowed salary, to at least, eight hun- 
 dred dollars.
 
 168 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 " Suppose that a Methodist Episcopal itinerant preacher 
 with the same number of persons in his family, and of the 
 same ages as we have supposed in the above calculation, 
 should be stationed by the bishop in one of our large cities; 
 and what would he annually receive, or be allowed by the 
 Book of Discipline to receive ? 
 
 " Allowed to receive for himself, .... $100,00 
 
 For his wife, 100,00 
 
 For two children from seven to fourteen years 
 
 of age, 48,00 
 
 For three children under seven years of age, 48,00 
 For travelling expenses : in a large city, the 
 hire or the keeping of a horse, to enable 
 him to perform his journeys, would proba- 
 bly cost, 125,00 
 
 For house rent, and the use of ' heavy furni- 
 ture,' in alarge city, they would, probably, 
 
 be worth, 700,00 
 
 For fuel, probably, 100,00 
 
 For table expenses, probably, 375,00 
 
 Total sum, . $1596,00 
 " ' The preachers in the city of New York, in the year 
 1821, received as follows: 
 
 " ' A. Hunt, $750; S. Merwin, 847; L. Clark, 816; B. 
 Hibbard, 763; J. Spicer, 564. — Total, $3,750, exclusive of 
 house 7'ent, which may be called at the lowest, $1,260, mak- 
 ing $5000 for five preachers.' — JYew York Telescope. Mut. 
 Rights and Chris. In., April 20, 1830 p. 158." [The sub- 
 sequent increase of house rent, &c., in New York, would of 
 course, greatly swell these amounts and make the average 
 probably about as stated above.]
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 1«9 
 
 *' The Methodist Episcopal bishops are allowed to receive 
 their salaries annually from ' the funds of the book concern'.* 
 Their salaries must be paid out of these funds before any 
 part of them are appropriated to pay the salaries of the itin- 
 erant preachers; of course, the bishops are sure of receiving 
 their money, whether any be left for the travelling preachers 
 or not. ' The book agents, and the book committee in New 
 York,' are constituted a committee ' to estimate the amount 
 necessary to meet the family expenses of the bishops;' and 
 if the bishops cah make it appear that their reasonable fami- 
 ly expenses amount to one, two, three, or four thousand dol- 
 lars per annum, there is nothing in the Book of Discipline to 
 prohibit their receiving as much; for there are no limits pre- 
 scribed to their salaries. 
 
 " It may, perhaps, be said by the people of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, that their itinerant preachers do not gen- 
 erally receive as large salaries as the Book of Discipline al- 
 lows them to receive, because they are unable to obtain 
 thein from their societies. Admitting this to be true, still 
 the case is not materially altered; for the fact remains, that 
 they hold to the principle of receiving the full amount of their 
 salaries as allowed them by the Book of Discipline. The same 
 plea might be urged by many of the ministers of the Reformed 
 Dutch, Presbyterian, and Congregational Churches. It is, 
 perhaps, not exceeding the bounds of truth, to state that one 
 third of them do not obtain the whole of their stipulated 
 salaries, from the inability of their people to pay them. Re- 
 formed Dutch, Presbyterian, and Congregational ministers, 
 however, are destitute of resources similar to those of Meth- 
 odist Episcopal preachers, when their societies fail to furnish 
 their salaries. It is a matter of trifling importance with a 
 Methodist Episcopal itinerant preacher when his people fail 
 ifi giving him what the Book of Discipline allows, so long 
 22
 
 170 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 as he can be a sharer in the income proceeding from what 
 are called ' the chartered fund' and ' the book concern.' 
 The income arising from which must be very great." 
 
 I will now introduce the testimony of Methodist preach- 
 ers themselves — men who had been, for many years, in the 
 ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and who there- 
 fore had, from personal experience and observation, the very 
 best opportunities of knowing the truth on this subject. 
 In " The Mutual Rights," &c., vol, I., p. 237, they say: — 
 " We take the minutes of the year 1823, and find there 
 are 1226 travelling preachers; of these we will suppose one 
 half to be married, and each married preacher to have, on 
 an average, two children, one over seven years, and the other 
 under. The whole number of married preachers will be 
 613, and the number of single preachers the same. We 
 will not undertake to say what number is stationed in towns 
 and cities, but suppose there may be one hundred. If we 
 allow one third of this number to be married men, (and sure- 
 ly this is a very low calculation) we shall have 33 men with 
 their families, and 67 single men to fill the city stations; all 
 the rest are appointed to circuits. We shall allow no dis- 
 count for those who are stationed in towns, because we be- 
 lieve they get their full quarterage. The account then will 
 stand as follows: 
 
 33 married men and their families, at $800 
 per annum, including all expenses for 
 quarterage, table expenses, house rent, 
 fuel, travelling expenses, &c., $26400,00 
 
 67 single men, at $260 per annum, includ- 
 ing quartei'age, boarding, travelling ex- 
 penses, &c., 17420,00 
 
 Amount carried forward, $43820,00
 
 MINISTEUIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 Amount carried forward, 
 
 580 married men on circuits, at $100, $58000,00 
 
 580 wives, at do., ICO 68000,00 
 
 580 children over 7 years, at 24 13920,00 
 
 580 do under 7 years, at 16 9280,00 
 
 171 
 
 $43820,00 
 
 $139200,00 
 
 Discount at 50 per cent, is 
 Board of 580 men, at $2 per week, 
 Ditto of 580 wives, at $2 per week. 
 Ditto of 1160 children, at $1 per 
 
 week, 
 House rent and fuel, $75 per an- 
 num, 
 Travelling expenses, $12 per an- 
 num, 
 546 single, at $100, 
 Discount on this sum at 50 per 
 
 cent., is 
 Boarding at $2 per week each, 
 Travelling expenses at $12 per an- 
 num each, 
 Keeping 1126 horses at $1 per 
 week each, 
 
 54600,00 
 
 69600,00 
 60320,00 
 60320,00 
 
 60320,00 
 
 43500,00 
 
 6960,00 
 
 27300,00 
 56784,00 
 
 6552,00 
 
 58552,00 
 
 $494028,00 
 " Note. In all our estimates, we have wished to be wider, 
 rather than over the true sum." 
 
 According to the above statement, when the number of 
 itinerant preachers was only 1226, and with the deduction 
 of 50 per cent, on the " quarterage" of all the circuit preach- 
 ers, and allowing only two children to each married preach- 
 er, the annual expense of their support was four hundred
 
 172 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 and ninety-four thousand and twenty-eight dollars: — being 
 an averao-e (with the discount mentioned, and allowing only 
 two rhildren to each) of $583,32 for every married preach- 
 er — and, with the same discount, an average of $222,59 
 for every single preacher. Without the discount, the total 
 sum for the support of 1226 preachers, would be five hun- 
 dred and ninety thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight 
 dollars: — being an average of $696,86 for each married 
 preacher, with a wife and only two children; — and $267,12 
 for every single preacher. 
 
 According to these gentlemen, the average salary of a 
 Methodist preacher, with a wife and two children, one under 
 and one over seven years of age, " stationed in towns and 
 
 cities,'' 'is $800,00 
 
 Add the allowance for two more children un- 
 der 7 years, at $16, 32,00 
 
 Ditto for one child above 7, 24,00 
 
 Ditto for the boarding of two of the addition- 
 al children, omitting the youngest, at ^1 
 per week, 104,00 
 
 The total sum is $900,00 
 Which is very nearly the sum ($976,00) that I have stated 
 as the fair average. — See page 146. 
 
 Now let us make a calculation, according to the rate giv- 
 en by these gentlemen, of the support of a married preach- 
 er> with a wife and five children, three under and two above 
 seven years of age — when appointed to a country circuit or 
 station. The case would stand thus: — 
 
 Allowed for himself and wife, .... $200,00 
 Pitto for 5 children, 3 under and 2 above 7 
 
 years, 96,00 
 
 Amount carried forward, $|296,00
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 173 
 
 Amount carried forward, $296,00 
 Table expenses, or board for himself and 
 
 wife, at $2 each per week, 208,00 
 
 Board of chil.lren, at $2 per week for the 
 
 four, omitting the youngest, .... 104,00 
 
 House rent and fuel, ....... 75,00 
 
 Travelling expenses, 12,00 
 
 Keeping of a horse, at $1 per week, . . 52,00 
 
 $747,00 
 
 Thus, according to these gentlemen, who had the very 
 best opportunity of knowing, the average salary of a Meth- 
 odist preacher, with such a family, if appointed to a country 
 circuit or station, would be, without any discount on his 
 " quarterage," — ^747,00; — which is upwards of eighty dol- 
 lars more than the average which I have given on page 144. 
 
 Again, in their " Review of the answer given by the late 
 General Conference to the petitions and memorials sent up 
 by the Reformers," they say: — 
 
 " In pursuing this report, we have now arrived at a point 
 which brings to view, ' a topic, to which we advert with 
 great reluctance;' but the conference ' compel us.' The para- 
 graph is long, and in our opinion, presents a novel specimen 
 of self gratulation, and irreverend boasting. 'The present 
 economy bears with peculiar severity upon the personal and 
 domestic comforts of the itinerant ministry.' ' The surest 
 way to secure their worldly interest, personal ease, and do- 
 mestic comforts, would be to effect the changes proposed. '^ 
 ' We do not doubt that the changes proposed would increase 
 our temporal comforts,' &c. 
 
 " Such is the style of the report. But are such the facts ? 
 To facts we must appeal, however delicate the investigation. 
 Where can a man of talents perform services with more cer-
 
 174 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 tain prospects of reward than in the Methodist itineracy ? 
 If he be poor, he is at once substantially made rich, if com- 
 fortable accommodations may be called riches. What table 
 does not offer him the best; though the day before he may 
 have left the plough, the shoe maker's bench or the tailor's 
 board, the day after he has a servant to wait upon him. 
 Should not one more suitable be at hand, perhaps aged and 
 respectable men, either from politeness or love, become his 
 servants. If hitherto obscure and unknown, he is at once 
 introduced into the most respectable society. The varied 
 field of life through which he moves, diversifies his delights, 
 and relieves him from those mental labours, common to sta- 
 tionary ministers. 
 
 " We are of the opinion that a system which at once ele- 
 vates men from the various departments of humble life, and 
 from a state of dependence, to sovereign rule; from compar- 
 ative ignorance, to the means of improvement in knowledge; 
 so far from being a system of sacrifice and self-denial, in 
 these respects, is one of great enjoyment; and it sometimes 
 proves a system of emolument. Could we fully receive 
 the report of the conference, we might suppose, that, like 
 MoseSj they had denied themselves the prospect of great 
 honours, wealth, and pleasure. We are however constrain- 
 ed to believe, that there are few, if any, of those itmerants, 
 who would change their situation for one of less sacrifice, 
 unless it afforded him as great enjoyment and emolument. 
 
 "The day has gone by in this country when the Meth- 
 odist ministers went ' forth in tears' on account of persecu- 
 tion, ' sowing precious seed ;' the winter is now past, 
 the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth ; 
 ' the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the 
 turtle is heard in our land.' The Methodist itinerants of 
 former times, were like ' the voice of one crying in the wil-
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT, 
 
 175 
 
 derness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths 
 strait.' They were then men of plainness and self-denial. 
 A contrast of such with those of the present time certainly 
 exhibits a great disparity. 
 
 " But would the changes proposed really improve the con- 
 dition of our itinerant brethren, as their report supposes } 
 How could it? They have all power in their hands at pre- 
 sent; what more can they have, according to the civil laws 
 of this country ? The change proposed contemplates the 
 transfer of that power to the Methodist community at large. 
 Query: If the community had the selection of talents, would 
 all the itineracy be continued in service ? If the preferment 
 of men depended on talents and moral worth, instead of 
 episcopal patronage, would not immediate ins and outs en- 
 sue ? If our ministry in general were to stand or fall on 
 the ground of personal worth, instead of that of authority, 
 should we not soon have a more studious, holy, able and 
 useful ministry ? Whatever party men may say in answer 
 to these queries, w^e cheerfully confide their solution to the 
 'good sense and candour of the public.'" — 16., vol. IV., 
 pp. 358 and 9. 
 
 The foregoing extracts, be it remembered, were penned by 
 gentlemen, who, from their long connection with the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church and ministry, were able to speak 
 from personal knowledge: — ^and I have copied them, not on- 
 ly because they show that the support of the Methodist 
 preachers is ample, but likewise because they exhibit what 
 are, in their judgment, the literary character of many of the 
 itinerants, and the real value of their services as public in- 
 structors. 
 
 In order to guard against misconception, let it be distinct- 
 ly observed, that we do not doubt that " the labourer is 
 worthy of his hire." We have exhibited the foregoing esti-
 
 176 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 mates, &c., because the fact which they prove has been 
 most flatly denied, and iis proof rudely and pertinaciously 
 challenged — and also for the purpose of exposing the invi- 
 dious and unrighteous comparisons which are often made be- 
 tween the salaries of Methodist preachers and those of the 
 pastors of other protestant churches: — and not because wor- 
 thy ministers are not entitled to a liberal support for their la- 
 borious and valuable services. How far it is for the good 
 of society to maintain those who are mere ministerial quacks 
 — who, by their notorious incompetency and vulgar fanati- 
 cism, are a disgrace to the clerical profession, and a re- 
 proach to religion — is a question which I shall not at present 
 discuss. But that those among the Methodist clergy — (and 
 doubtless there are suchj who are pious and faithful men, 
 and " able to teach others," are worthy of a liberal support, 
 there can be no doubt; and it is an honour to the laity of 
 that church, that they do provide so amply for them. I will 
 quote, with approbation and pleasure, the following generous 
 extract, which wull not only express my own views on the sub- 
 ject of ministerial support, but at the same time serve to show 
 that the Methodist Reformers, whose estimates and views I 
 have just given, were actuated by no envious or malignant 
 spirit towards their itinerant brethren. The extract is taken 
 from an article headed " Rights of the Itinerant Minis- 
 ters," and is as follows: 
 
 " They are entitled to a support from those for whom they 
 labour. That support ought always to be regulated by the 
 ability of those who pay, and the necessities of him who la- 
 bours. And we believe that in general, this is the case among 
 the Methodists, quite as much, at least, as among any other 
 Christian denomination. Nothing, it would seem, is more 
 clear, than that if the church requires the whole time and at- 
 tention of an individual occupied in her service, she ought
 
 Ministerial stJppoRt. iTt 
 
 to assume the maintenance of that individuah It is fur* 
 thermore evident, I would suppose, that the church ought to 
 afford her ministers such a support as will enable them to ap- 
 pear respectable in their persons and families, and to exercise 
 a becoming hospitality to strangers, who may visit them; as 
 also to be able to give something in charitable donations to 
 the poor. The reputation of the church itself must needs 
 require that her ministers appear respectable, and I hope no 
 Christian will be willing to deny them the ability to share in 
 the pleasures of benevolence. Our confidence in their in* 
 tegrity, ought to remove the fear of intrusting them with 
 something more than a bare supply, for the true minister of 
 Christ will be as likely to appropriate his supply to a charita- 
 ble use, as any other man. I have thrown together these 
 disunited and broken ideas, in order to attract the attention 
 of some one who has more leisure than I for the prosecution 
 of the subject. And because I wish it distinctly understood, 
 that while I seek reform in the church, I respect, and intend 
 ever to maintain the rights of the ministers, as well as 
 those of the members." — Mutual Rights, vol. II., pp. 251 
 and 2. 
 
 Having thus shown, from their Book of Discipline, and 
 the testimony of others, what is the probable average salary 
 of the ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Chuich, let me 
 now, in further prosecution of my design, make a few re- 
 marks relative to the salary of Presbyterian pastors; — ob- 
 serving that the same might be made, substantially, respect- 
 ing the ministerial support of all the other principal protest- 
 ant denominations. 
 
 The following extracts from our Form of Government, 
 chap. XIV., will show what are the moral and literary quali- 
 fications required of candidates for the gospel ministry in the 
 Presbyterian Church: — 
 23
 
 178 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 " The Holy Scriptures require that some trial be previous- 
 ly had of them who are to be ordained to the ministry of 
 the gospel, that this sacred office may not be degraded, by 
 being committed to weak or unworthy men; and that the 
 churches may have an opportunity to forma better judgment 
 respecting the talents of those by whom they are to be in- 
 structed and governed. For this purpose presbyteries shall 
 license probationers to preach the gospel, that after a com- 
 petent trial of their talents, and receiving from the churches 
 a good report, they may, in due time, ordain them to the sa- 
 cred office. 
 
 " It is proper and requisite that candidates applying to the 
 presbytery to be licensed to preach the gospel, produce sa- 
 tisfactory testimonials of their good moral character, and of 
 their being regular members of some particular church. 
 And it is the duty of the presbytery, for their satisfaction 
 with regard to the real piety of such candidates, to examine 
 them respecting their experimental acquaintance with reli- 
 gion, and the motives which influence them to desire the sa- 
 cred office. This examination shall be close and particular, 
 and, in most cases, may best be conducted in the presence 
 of the presbytery only. And it is recommended, that the 
 candidates be also required to produce a diploma of bachelor 
 or master of arts, from some college or university: or, at least j 
 authentic testimonials of his having gone through a regular 
 course of learning. 
 
 " Because it is highly reproachful to religion, and danger- 
 ous to the church, to intrust the holy ministry to weak and 
 ignorant men, the presbytery shall try each candidate, as to his 
 knowledge of the Latin language: and the original languages 
 in which the Holy Scriptures were written. They shall also 
 examine him on the arts and sciences; on theology, natural 
 and revealed; and on ecclesiastical history, the sacraments.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 179 
 
 and church government. And in order to make trial of his 
 talents to explain and vindicate, and practically to enforce 
 the doctrines of the gospel, the presbytery shall require of 
 him, 
 
 " A Latin exegesis on some common head in divinity. 
 
 " A critical exercise; in which the candidate shall give a 
 specimen of his taste and judgment in sacred criticism; pre- 
 senting an explication of the original text, stating its con- 
 nection, illustrating its force and beauties, removing its diffi- 
 culties, and solving any important questions which it may 
 present. 
 
 " A lecture^ or exposition of several verses of Scripture; 
 and, 
 
 " A popular sermon. 
 
 " These, or other similar exercises, at the discretion of 
 the presbytery, shall be exhibited until they shall have ob- 
 tained satisfaction as to the candidate's piety, literature, and 
 aptness to teach in the churches. The lecture and popular 
 sermon, if the presbytery think proper, may be delivered in 
 the presence of a congregation. 
 
 " That the most effectual measures may be taken to guard 
 against the admission of insufficient men into the sacred of- 
 fice, it is recommended, that no candidate, except in extraor- 
 dinary cases, be licensed, unless, after his having completed 
 the usual course of academical studies, he shall have studied 
 divinity at least two years, under some approved divine 
 or professor of theology." — [It is now usual for our candi- 
 dates, after they have graduated at some college, or have 
 gone through a regular course of learning, to spend three 
 years at some one of our theological seminaries in the study 
 of divinity.] 
 
 The course of study thus required, occupies from seven 
 to ten or twelve years; and in its prosecution, the candi-
 
 180 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 (late is often obliged to spend a considerable estate — some- 
 times the whole of his patrimony. It is true that a great 
 many, being unable to defray the expense, are assisted by 
 the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church; but it 
 is with the distinct understanding, that the money advanced, 
 shall be refunded, if ever the candidate becomes able to do so. 
 
 The regulation of the salaries of Presbyterian ministers, 
 is left, as it should be left — loith the people. Each congre- 
 gation calls the man of their own choice, and determines 
 the amount of his salary. This amount is generally regulat- 
 ed more by the estimated ability of the congregation, than 
 the necessities of the minister whom they call. That is, the 
 sum agreed upon by the congregation, is usually less than 
 the people would acknowledge to be requisite for the com- 
 fortable support of the pastor; but it is what they are able, 
 or think themselves only able to give. All that is said on 
 this subject in our Form of Government is contained in the 
 following form of a call: — 
 
 " The congregation of being, on sufficient grounds, 
 
 well satisfied of the ministerial qualifications of you 
 and having good hopes, from our past experience of your 
 labours, that your ministrations in the gospel will be profita- 
 ble to our spiritual interests, do earnestly call and desire you 
 to undertake the pastoral office in said congregation; pro- 
 mising you, in the discharge of your duty, all proper sup- 
 port, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord. And that 
 you may be free from worldly cares and avocations, we here- 
 by promise and oblige ourselves to pay to you the sum of 
 in regular quarterly, (or half yearly, or yearly) pay- 
 ments, during the time of your being and continuing the 
 regular pastor of this church." — Chap. XV. 
 
 The blanks in the foregoing form, are filled^ as I have 
 said, by the people themselves, according to their own sense
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 181 
 
 of propriety or ability; and I have never known of a casein 
 which any of our ecclesiastical courts have interfered with 
 the pecuniary arrangement thus made by the people with 
 their respective pastors. 
 
 The nominal amount of the salaries of Presbyterian bish- 
 ops or pastors varies much according to the ability or liber- 
 ality of their flocks, and the expense of living in different 
 places. 
 
 In country parishes, and in the smaller towns and villages, 
 I suppose that their salaries range, nominally, from $400 to 
 55^500. Some receiving much less than the sum first named, 
 and a few, perhaps, a little more than the amount last men- 
 tioned. Certain am I, that $400 are considerably wore than 
 the average salary of the country pastors, settled within the 
 bounds of the Presbytery of Baltimore. And it should be 
 remembered, that of the sum promised, many do not receive 
 the full amount — some not more than one-half, or two thirds; 
 and even for what they do receive, they must wait, often- 
 times for months, yea, years ! 
 
 It may be asked, — how do they live on such trifling sala- 
 ries ? I answer, that if they depended entirely on their sala- 
 ries, they could not live ! Multitudes of them are therefore 
 obliged to employ a large portion of their time in teaching, 
 or in cultivating the soil, and others are drawing largely up- 
 on their own private means to make up the deficiency of 
 their ministerial support ! With their previous liberal ed- 
 ucation and mental discipline, they are able to sustain them- 
 selves as religious teachers with much greater facility than 
 they could otherwise do, but even with these advantages, 
 many of them are compelled, by their daily secular employ- 
 ments, to devote the hours usually allotted to recreation and 
 repose, in studious preparation for their sabbath and minis- 
 terial duties ! It is my deliberate conviction that there is
 
 182 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 not a body of clergy on earth, with any thing like the same 
 piety, talents, learning and zeal, who receive so poor a re- 
 muneration for their services. And yet these are the men, 
 between whom, and the Methodist itinerants, who receive 
 so much more, the most invidious and disingenuous compa- 
 risons are often drawn ! I confess that, with my personal 
 knowledge of their deprivations, self-denials and toils, I 
 have found it difficult to restrain my indignation, when I have 
 heard of such men being denounced as " hireling priests" 
 and " money preachers," by the friends of that very system 
 whose circuit preachers are so much more liberally and am- 
 ply provided for ! ! Beloved men of God ! your lot is in- 
 deed hard: — to be deprived of what is necessary for your 
 support, or else obliged to " labour with your own hands," 
 to keep yourselves and families from actual starvation ! — and 
 yet to be thus stigmatized and persecuted by men calling 
 themselves Christians ! — but remember that your reward is 
 on high — and great and glorious will that reward be, if ye 
 persevere, " through evil as well as good report," faithful 
 unto the end ! — Brethren, my prayer is, that you may be di- 
 vinely supported under your painful sacrifices and arduous 
 labours, and that God may give your accusers the grace, not 
 only of repentance, but of Christian honour, truth, and 
 charity ! 
 
 The nominal salaries of the Presbyterian pastors, located 
 in the larger towns and cities^ are perhaps about double what 
 they are in the country parishes. They probably range from 
 ^800 to $1000 — some receive less than the former sum, and 
 very few more than the latter. 
 
 In the principal cities^ where the cost of living is very 
 high, their salaries are greater. A few pastors, presiding 
 over large and wealthy churches, receive what may be called 
 comparatively large salaries; but the number of these is
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 183 
 
 very small indeed. I think it probable, however, as 1 have 
 before stated, that our pastors do, in general, receive larg- 
 er salaries, in some half a dozen of our principal cities, 
 than the Methodist ministers stationed in the same places. 
 And yet it is a fact, that many of them receive less than 
 some of the Methodist pastors, located in the same cities. 
 Let me state the case of one, as an example, and I take 
 this one, not only because I am best acquainted with its de- 
 tails, but because it has been made the subject of invi- 
 dious comparison with the alleged " small salary" of the 
 neighbouring Methodist preachers. The Presbyterian bish- 
 op to whom I refer, was settled in this good city of Balti- 
 more, between twelve and thirteen years ago. For several 
 years after his settlement, he received a nominal salary of 
 $800, which was subsequently increased, until it amounted, 
 in 1840, to $1500. The amount actually receivd by him, 
 during the twelve years, averages, precisely, one thousand 
 and thirty-tkree dollars and thirty-three cents ($1033,33) per 
 annum. Out of this comparatively small salary, he has given 
 in money, towards the liquidation of the debt of the church 
 alone, — to say nothing of the contributions to other benevo- 
 lent institutions, and the poor, — the sum of one thousand 
 three hundred and fifty dollars. If this sum, thus returned 
 directly to the church, were subtracted from his salary, it 
 would leave an average of nine hundred and seventy dollars 
 and eighty three cents ($970,83) per year. And yet, while 
 the Rev. pastor of the Light street Methodist Church is 
 said to \\?iseheQnxeceWmg twelve hundred dollars ($1200,00) 
 per annum, exclusive of house rent, — this Presbyterian bish- 
 op is privately stigmatized, by some of the friends of Meth- 
 odism, as receiving an enormous salary ! ! I said that the 
 salary of this Presbyterian pastor was recently raised to
 
 184 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 $1500: — this sum, however, he received for a single year 
 only. At the expiration of that year, in view of the moneta- 
 ry embarrassments of the times, he voluntarily relinquish- 
 ed one-fifth of it, (^300,00) and has continued to do so ever 
 since. Yea, further, finding the pressure of the times in- 
 creasing, this Presbyterian bishop spontaneously expressed 
 to his congregation his cheerful readiness to submit to any 
 additional reduction which they might judge expedient, rath- 
 rr than that the church should get involved, or he become a 
 burlheu to his flock. 
 
 Let it not to be supposed, from this statement, that this 
 pastor has ever complained of the comparative smallness of 
 his salary, or of a want of Christian liberality on the part of 
 the people to whom he ministers. Very — very far from it. 
 He has always been content with his pastoral lot, and has 
 ever spoken of the love and generosity of his beloved flock 
 in terms of the highest commendation. They were, at first, 
 but few in numbers, and oppressed by a large church debt; 
 but as, by the blessing of God, they grew in numbers and 
 ability, so did they abound in liberality towards their chosen 
 and cherished pastor. The fact that his salary Was increas- 
 ed within ten years to nearly double the amount of what it 
 was originally, is sufficient and substantial proof of their af- 
 fection and generosity towards him; which he has not been 
 slow either to appreciate or acknowledge. And to their hon- 
 our it should be stated, that when, a short time since, their 
 pastor expressed a willingness to make any further sacrifices 
 which might be necessary, in view of the continued and in- 
 creasing pecuniary difficulties of the times, they spontane- 
 ously and unanimously determined, that no additional sacri- 
 fices on his part should be permitted. In view of the mis- 
 representations which have been specially made of late, I
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 185 
 
 may be pardoned for quoting the resolutions adopted on that 
 occasion, by those who have known him long and intimately: 
 — they are as follow: — 
 
 " Resolved, That this meeting fully appreciate the earnest 
 zeal and untiring liberality of their pastor, as exemplified 
 and illustrated by ihe Jlicts embodied in the report of the 
 Board of Trustees. Deservedly strong, as he has been, at 
 all times heretofore, in the affectionate regards of the con- 
 gregation, the evidences of zeal and liberality thus afforded, 
 cannot but endear him the more to his flock, and give him 
 yet stronger titles to their esteem and love. 
 
 " Resolved, That while thus bearing testimony to the self- 
 devotion, the labours and sacrifices of their pastor, on behalf 
 of the church and congregation committed to him, the con- 
 gregation earnestly respond to the anxiety expressed by the 
 Board of Trustees, that he shall not, under any circumstan- 
 ces, be called on to make any additional sacrifices. With 
 those already made, seconded as they have been by the libe- 
 ral co-operation of all who felt interested in its prosperity, 
 the church has been enabled to emerge from the gloom of 
 its early diflficulties, and in effect, to discharge all its pecu- 
 niary liabilities. In this satisfactory state of its concerns, 
 the congregation cannot entertain the thought of additional 
 sacrifices by their pastor. An extraordinary depression in 
 business affairs, such as has been experienced for two years 
 past, may indeed justify the measure of sacrifice, as now 
 existing, yet a little longer. But under no circumstances 
 could this meeting consent to any increased or additional 
 sacrifices, on the part of their beloved pastor. And while 
 they resolve, that none such shall be permitted, they pledge 
 themselves, as a congregation, to join heartily with the Board 
 of Trustees, in all requisite measures and action, for render- 
 24
 
 186 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 ing such additional sacrifice on his part, in any event unne- 
 cessary." 
 
 And yet, this is the man, — of whom his own people, who 
 know him best, thus spontaneously and unanimously testify — 
 this is the man who is often contrasted invidiously, by many 
 of the friends of Methodism, with the alleged disinterested- 
 ness and superior devotedness of Methodist preachers ! I 
 blush to make this exhibit: — but, as even the humble and 
 holy apostle was sometimes " provoked" to speak of his 
 own sacrifices and labours for the public good, so we are 
 sometimes compelled to speak of things, which nothing but 
 a sense of duty, in self-defence, could possibly extort from 
 our lips or pen. 
 
 In connection with the foregoing statements of the nomi- 
 nal amount of the salaries of Presbyterian pastors, it should 
 be remembered that, with very few exceptions, the sums 
 mentioned are all that they receive. Some few churches have 
 provided parsonages or dwelling houses for their pastors, 
 and in some few instances, in the country, a lot of ground is 
 added for their accommodation. But these exceptions are 
 rare. In general, the pastors are obliged to pay their house 
 rent out of their salary — and in no instance, within my 
 knowledge, is anything allowed, in addition to their salary, 
 for table expenses, fuel, furniture, travelling expenses, &c. 
 
 Nor is there any provision made for the " occasional dis- 
 tresses''^ of Presbyterian pastors or their families. No mat- 
 ter how inadequate their salary may be to their support — no 
 matter how much in arrears their people may be in paying 
 them what they had promised — no matter what providential 
 misfortunes may have overtaken them, there is no provision 
 made for their relief — no general fund from which they may 
 derive assistance.
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 187 
 
 Neither is there any provision made for tlie support of 
 those, who, though competent and willing to perform minis- 
 terial service, are yet unable to procure a pastoral charge. 
 There are no " supernumeraries^'' on " half-pay" in the Pres- 
 byterian Church. However long it may be before a Pres- 
 byterian clergyman is settled, and however much he and his 
 family may suffer on that account, he receives nothing until 
 he obtains a situation, and is actively employed in his pro- 
 fessional work. 
 
 There is not any provision made even for those who have 
 become disabled by sickness or infirmity from performing 
 pastoral duty. The salary of a Presbyterian pastor is pro- 
 mised and paid, only " during the time of his being and con- 
 tinuing the regular pastor of the church." As soon as he 
 ascertains that he has been permanently disabled, he resigns 
 his charge; and there is no provision made for the subse- 
 quent support either of himself or family. He may have 
 spent the whole of his patrimony in his preparation for the 
 sacred office, or sacrificed all that remained of his inherit- 
 ance in making up the yearly deficiency of his ministerial 
 support. He may have spent the best part of his life in la- 
 bouring for the good of his flock, and actually destroyed his 
 health in their service, — still there is no provision made for 
 his sickness or declining age, for he is supported no longer 
 than he is able to discharge his pastoral duties with accept- 
 ance to his people. Many faithful, but sick and aged pas- 
 tors, are thus literally cast upon " the cold charities of the 
 world!" I say not that this should be so — that such men have 
 not any moral claim on the Christian sympathy, and even 
 justice of the churches which they have faithfully served 
 during their health and manly vigour. No, no, beyond all 
 question, it is the sacred duty of the churches to make some
 
 188 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 provision for their sick and " worn-oul" pastors — especially 
 as, during their active service, they seldom receive more than 
 a bare support^ and very often not that ! But I am now 
 speaking only of vi^hat is theyac^ respecting such pastors of 
 Presbyterian Churches, and for the purpose of contrasting 
 their destitute and miserable condition, with the comparative 
 ease and comfort of Methodist preachers similarly disabled 
 or superannuated. 
 
 And we must add, that there is no provision made, by the 
 church, for the " widows and orphaiis'''' of Presbyterian pas- 
 tors. If they depart in poverty — and few, if any, are able 
 to lay up any thing for their families from their ministerial 
 salary, their widows and orphans are left utterly destitute ! 
 Who can tell the anxiety and grief of many pastors in anti- 
 cipation of their decease on this account ! Who can tell the 
 agonizing struggle of many such in death, as they bid their 
 weeping companions and children adieu, and leave them in a 
 selfish and unfeeling world without the means of procuring 
 even the necessaries of life ! What a relief it would be to 
 such a dying husband and father, if he could point to some 
 ecclesiastical statute which provides so much for his widow 
 during her life, and as much as may be " necessary" for the 
 " subsistence and education" of his beloved children ! And 
 what a consolation to his wife and children in the remote or 
 immediate prospect of his decease ! But while Methodist 
 preachers and their families have these precious consolations, 
 (and I rejoice and thank God that they have) Presbyterian 
 pastors and their families are entirely destitute of them: for 
 their church has made no provision for the support of the 
 widows of their deceased clergy, or for the subsistence and 
 education of their orphans. They may indeed, if by extra 
 labour, or severe economy, they can afford it, invest a portion
 
 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 189 
 
 of their income in some voluntary association for the relief 
 of their widows and orphans: but, I repeat it, the Presbyte- 
 rian Church, as such, has made no provision for them, and 
 has no fund appropriated to such objects. 
 
 And now, in view of all these facts, is it not true, that, 
 "notwithstanding their ungenerous and invidious compari- 
 sons, the Methodist clergy are,i7idirectly, but substantially and 
 really, better provided for, as to temporalities, than 
 the clergy of other Christian denominations?" Certainly, 
 so far as the Presbyterian ministry are concerned, the Meth- 
 odist clergy, as a body, receive considerably larger salaries, 
 while actively employed in their profession: — and, in addi- 
 tion, they have very valuable provisions made for them, 
 when occasionally distressed, when out of regular employ- 
 ment, when disabled by sickness, and when w^orn out by 
 age, which Presbyterian ministers have not. And besides 
 these great advantages, the widows and orphans of Method- 
 ist preachers are liberally provided for, while those of Pres- 
 byterian pastors are left, by their church, entirely destitute. 
 
 Before I dismiss this topic, I wull again remark that my 
 object has not been to show, that the Methodist clergy and 
 their families receive too much. Those among them who 
 are faithful men and competent instructors, well deserve and 
 are justly entitled to a liberal compensation for their profes- 
 sional services. And if their friends had been content si- 
 lently to allow their preachers to enjoy their comfortable liv- 
 ings and emoluments, without reflecting on others in reality 
 less liberally provided for, not a syllable should we ever have 
 uttered or written on this subject. But when their advo- 
 cates indulge in the most invidious comparisions between 
 the ministerial support of Methodist preachers and that of 
 the clergy of other Christian churches — when Presbyterian
 
 190 MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 
 
 pastors, especially, are represented as receiving "large sala- 
 ries," and are stigmatized as avaricious and worldly minded 
 men, who preach only for money ! — then it becomes an im- 
 perative duty, in self-defence, to expose the whole truth. It 
 is enough that we should be required to bear the depriva- 
 tions and incessant anxieties and toils of our actual lot, with- 
 out being subjected to misrepresentation and detraction ! 
 And it has been with a view to correct such false represent- 
 ations, and to defend ourselves against the injurious effects 
 of such unchristian defamation, that we have spread the 
 foregoing facts and detailed statements before the public: — 
 particularly as our former brief allusion to them elicited so 
 flat a denial of their truth, and the evidence on which the 
 reference was made, was so arrogantly and provokingly 
 challenged !
 
 CKAFTEB. V. 
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES, OR MODE OF RAISING 
 SUPPLIES. 
 
 Class meetings. — Comparative cost of " free seats" and rented pews — 
 Love feasts. — Special subscriptions and collections. — Book concern, 
 periodicals, &c. — The immense aggregate amount raised from great 
 numbers, by small, yet frequent contributions. — These methods contrast- 
 ed with the system adopted by the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Having shown what provisions have been made by the 
 preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the temporal 
 support of themselves and families; I will devote a few pages 
 in exhibiting their peculiar mode of " raising supplies." 
 
 First, by " class meetings." Many persons, not convers- 
 ant with the Methodist system of finance, are under the im- 
 pression that their weekly class meetings are purely religious, 
 or devoted exclusively to spiritual exercises. But the truth 
 is, that they constitute one of their most important and pro- 
 fitable financial measures — more money being actually raised 
 by them than by any other means. 
 
 The origin of class meetings is thus described by Mr. 
 Wesley himself^ — as quoted by Lee in his " Short History of 
 the Methodists," page 15: — 
 
 " In 1742, the societies having greatly increased, they 
 were divided into classes^ each class consisting of about 
 twelve persons, who were committed to the care of one per- 
 son styled the leader. — Mr. Wesley observes on this occa- 
 sion as follows:
 
 192 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 " ' Feb. 15, 1742 — Many of us were met together in 
 Bristol, to consult on a proper method of paying the public 
 debt, contracted by building; and it was agreed, 1. That 
 every member of the society that was able, should contribute 
 a penny a week — 2. That the whole society should be di- 
 vided into little companies or classes, of about twelve in 
 each class. — 3. That one person in each class should re- 
 ceive the contribution of the rest. Thus began, says he, 
 that excellent institution, inerely upon a temporal account; 
 from which we have reaped so many spiritual blessings: we 
 soon fixed the same rule in all our societies.' '' 
 
 Having, by this casual circumstance, perceived the im- 
 portant financial, as well as spiritual use which might be 
 made of such " classes," the founder of Methodism " soon" 
 incorporated them into his system — and they have since 
 yielded an immense pecuniary revenue to the preachers of 
 that sect. — Few indeed, have any adequate conception of 
 the vast aggregate amount thus annually raised, because 
 the weekly individual contributions are comparatively small. 
 
 This subject deserves particular notice, because nothing is 
 more common than for Methodists to boast of their " free 
 seats," and to inveigh against the " rented pews" of other 
 churches. And yet it is a fact, that, on an average, they ac- 
 tually pay more — much more, in the course of a year, for 
 their "free seats," than the members of other churches do 
 for their rented pews ! There is a singular adaptation in the 
 system of Methodism to conceal the truth on financial sub- 
 jects. As it is impossible even to approximate the amount 
 of their preacher's salaries without collecting together the 
 various items which are mixed up with other subjects, and 
 spread over some eight or ten pages of their Book of Dis- 
 cipline; so it is impossible for even their members to know, 
 how much they pay towards the support of their pastors and
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 193 
 
 their families, without keeping a tedious account of various 
 small suras which appear in themselves too insignificant to 
 be remembered, much less "booked," but which, in the 
 space of a year, amount in fact to a very considerable sum. 
 From the want of this attention, multitudes are deceived by 
 the smallness of their weekly contributions and have no idea 
 of the aggregate amount in the course of a year. Let each 
 contributor keep an exact account of every sum, however 
 small, which he contributes in his class — at love feasts — at 
 the stated sabbath collections, and on special occasions, for 
 a single year, and he will be astonished to find how much 
 his " free seat" costs him per annum ! ! It is true — these 
 contributions are voluntary — each one pays as much, or as 
 little as he pleases — and nothing at all if he so chooses. But 
 it is precisely so also in those churches which have rented 
 pews. No one is compelled to pay pew rent, if he does not 
 choose to do so. The rents are graduated so as to suit the 
 circumstances of the congregation, and a man may therefore 
 rent a pew at almost any price he desires. Many families, 
 who are not able to pay pew rent, occupy pews for years 
 without paying a cent for them — and they are cordially wel- 
 come to their occupancy, without being expected or desired 
 to contribute any thing. But while there is no compulsion 
 in either case, is it not expected in both, that those who are 
 able will contribute towards the support of the church? and 
 that too, according to their ability ? Would any man be 
 considered a worthy and acceptable member of a Methodist 
 class, who is able to contribute something, and yet will not.^ 
 Does not the Methodist Episcopal Church inculcate it as a 
 moral or religious duty, that every member should give, if 
 able — and as much as he is able ? This is not only indubi- 
 tably true theoretically, but the system has been practically 
 so arranged, as that very few, in their church, can ask to 
 25
 
 194 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 be excused on the plea of poverty. Certainly, very few can 
 say that they are not able to give "a penny a week!" 
 And thus the system is rniide to embrace all, except the 
 most destitute; and, of course, a large number, who, in 
 other churches, would not be expected to give any thing at 
 all ! ! 
 
 The sums contributed at the weekly class meetings vary 
 according to the ability and liberality of the members. A 
 respected clergyman who had been, for many years, in con- 
 nection with the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city, in- 
 formed me that the amounts ranged from a few cents up to 
 a dollar — and that he believed the weekly contribution of 
 each member would average ten cents. Well, low as this 
 average appears to me to be, let us adopt and compare it 
 Vith the average cost of a " rented seat" in one of our 
 pewed churches. For example, in the Third Presbyterian 
 Church in this city, the average rent of pews is precisely 
 $18,29 J per annum: — which, allowing six persons to each 
 pew, (and that number can be very comfortably accommodat- 
 ed in them,) would be about $3 per year for each seat, or 
 LESS than six cents per week for each person. Thus it ap- 
 pears, that while, on an average, the members of Methodist 
 classes pay ten cents per week, the average weekly pew rent 
 of individuals in the Presbyterian Church named is between 
 five and six cents, or only a little more than one half as 
 much ! No wonder that " free seats" are lauded, and 
 *' rented pews" denounced, when it is discovered that they 
 probably raise about twice as much money by their free sys- 
 tem ! ! — It should be observed, that in this calculation, I 
 have not included the sums expected to be given at love 
 feasts— special collections, &c., &c. — If these were added, 
 they would greatly increase the average yearly cost of a 
 Methodist free seat ! and serve to show, still more striking-
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 195 
 
 ly, how much cheaper, after all, rented pews are ! — to say 
 nothing of their superior comfort and important moral ad- 
 vantages. 
 
 Let me state the case in another form. In the Presbyte- 
 rian Church mentioned, the greater number of families rent 
 but the half of a pew, which will comfortably seat at least 
 three adult persons. The average rent of a half pew would 
 be $9,14^ per year, or about seventeen cents a week. Where- 
 as a family consisting of an equal number belonging to a 
 Methodist class, would pay on an average, thirty cents, per 
 week, or $15,60 a year ! In other words, a family of three 
 persons, can rent a half pew in the Presbyterian Church, for 
 seven cents more per week, than a single person pays, on an 
 average, as a member of a Methodist class ! — Or, if there 
 are three persons in a family connected with a Methodist 
 class, they pay, on an average, nearly tioice as much as such 
 a family would pay, on an average, for the half of a pew in 
 the Presbyterian Church ! ! — to say nothing of the additional 
 cost of Methodist love feasts — special subscriptions, &c. &c. 
 
 With regard to the Methodist '■^ love feasts:'''' it may be 
 proper to inform the reader, that they, like their class meet- 
 ings, are used for the purpose of revenue. No one who re- 
 ceives a ticket of admission to them is indeed compelled to 
 pay any thing; but then it is expected that every one, who 
 is able, will give something, and as much as he is able. 
 And as the occasion is one of special interest, it is to be 
 presumed that the people will be as liberal as possible. No 
 doubt the love feasts are very profitable, and that the preach- 
 ers realize from them a very considerable sum. I was in- 
 formed, by the Rev. gentleman before referred to, that the 
 individual contributions vary according to the ability or gen- 
 erosity of the members; and that the average of each one 
 would be about ten cents at each quarterly love feast. At
 
 196 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 this rate, the members pay, on an average, (in addition to 
 their class money,) forty cents a year; and, of course, if 
 there are three in a family, one dollar and twenty cents per 
 annum. If this be added to the amount which such a fami- 
 ly contribute at their class meetings, it will make the aggre- 
 gate $4,20 per quarter, or $16,80 per year! Whereas the 
 average cost of a half pew in the Presbyterian Church, 
 which would accommodate the same number of persons, 
 would be only $2,28 per quarter, or $9,14^ per year! ! 
 
 It should also be stated that, in addition to the contribu- 
 tions which the members are expected to make at the week- 
 ly class meetings, and the quarterly love feasts, — there are 
 numerous special subscriptions and collections for the support 
 of their ministers and their families, to each of which, every 
 member, who is able, is expected to contribute. The 
 amount raised in this way, must be immense ! Many give 
 on such special occasions very liberally, and most, no doubt, 
 contribute something. Now, if all the money thus given in 
 the course of a year — in the form of special subscriptions, 
 and at special collections, in behalf of the particular objects 
 mentioned, were added to the contributions at classes, and 
 love feasts, it would greatly swell the average cost of a Meth- 
 odist " free" seat ! ! 
 
 Again. The yearly sum which those contribute at the 
 class meetings, who do not pay even the average amount be- 
 fore mentioned, is much more considerable than any one 
 would suppose, without making the calculation. For in- 
 stance, if a member of a Methodist class contributes but six 
 and a quarter cents a week, it will amount to eighty-one and 
 a quarter cents per quarter, or three dollars and twenty-five 
 cents per annum: and if there are three of them in the fami- 
 ly, they pay, unitedly, two dollars and forty-three and a quar- 
 ter cents per quarter, or nine dollars and seventy-five cents a
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 197 
 
 year — which is considerably more than the average rent of 
 a half pew, capable of accomodating the same number of 
 persons, in the Presbyterian Church referred to ! 
 
 It should be observed, that hitherto we have taken the 
 average price of the pews in the Third Presbyterian Church 
 in this city. But many of them rent for much less than the 
 average amount stated. In fact, there are no less than severity 
 two pews, or very nearly one half of the whole number in the 
 church referred to, which rent for less than the avernge sum 
 before mentioned. . Some of them rent as low as $Q per an- 
 num — and from' that to $10— $12, and upwards. A fami- 
 ly consisting of three adult persons, may therefore rent a half 
 pew, which would amply accommodate them, for foxLr dol- 
 lars a year — which would be one dollar per quarter, and be- 
 tween seven and eight cents a week — or, for each person^ 
 LESS THAN THREE CENTS A WEEK ! Now, how fcw mem- 
 bers there are, of Methodist classes, who pay less than three 
 cents a week ! — and yet, for this amount, any individual may 
 obtain a rented seat in the Presbyterian Church! — Or, to state 
 the case in another form, if three individuals contribute each 
 three cents a week in a Methodist class, they pay one dollar 
 and seventeen cents a quarter, or four dollars and sixty- 
 eight cents per year for their " free seats;" — whereas the 
 same number may rent a half pew in the Presbyterian Church 
 for one dollar a quarter, or four dollars a year! 
 
 The truth is, however, that many of the poor families who 
 contribute at the rate of three cents a week, in the Method- 
 ist Churchy would not be expected to rent a pew at all, if 
 they attended the Presbyterian Church;but would in welcome 
 occupy their seats, literally and truly '■'• freeV 
 
 In the above calculations, I have not included the or- 
 dinary sabbath collections — subscriptions towards building 
 churches and parsonages — collections for missions — the poor,
 
 198 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 &c., &c., because these are common to all the evangelical 
 denominations. I have not the least doubt, however, but 
 that these general objects cost the members of the Method- 
 ist Church quite as much as the members of the Presbyte- 
 rian or any other Christian church. Probably I should have 
 added something to the cost of Methodist " free seats !" on 
 account of the building of meeting houses ; because, instead 
 of being obliged to pay only for the one they occupy, as the 
 members for example, of a Presbyterian congregation are, 
 they are, at least, in this city, bound, in a peculiar sense, to 
 pay for all the Methodist meeting houses which have been, 
 or which may be hereafter erected within their particular 
 district! And judging from the number and cost of such 
 buildings erected within a few years past, the amount ne- 
 cessary to pay for them, and which, according to their sys- 
 tem, must be raised from their members generally, must be 
 very considerable, very ! — It is rumoured, that some of their 
 more wealthy and liberal members, pay, in this way, enor- 
 mously, for their '■'■free seats" ! ! — Indeed, it is within my own 
 personal knowledge, that some men, in very moderate cir- 
 cumstances, have been induced to subscribe amounts, which 
 some of OUR wealthiest members would regard as oppres- 
 sive ! 
 
 To illustrate still further, the immense aggregate amount 
 which may be raised, by great numbers, in small weekly 
 contributions, let us suppose that each of the members in- 
 cluded within the Baltimore Conference, contributes, on an 
 average, only ten cents a week — at class meetings — love 
 feasts — special collections, &c. &c. According to their offi- 
 cial Minutes for 1S41 — 2, there were 46,844 white members, 
 and 13,526 coloured, making a total of 60,370: — say in 
 round numbers 60,000. Now, 60,000, each paying ten 
 cents a week, would make $6000 per week, and $312,000
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES, 199 
 
 per annum. This sum, divided by 214, the whole number 
 of travelling and su})erannualed preachers reported as be- 
 longing to the Conference, would give upwards of one 
 thousand four hundred and Jifly dollars ($1450) per an- 
 num to each minister, exclusive of the preachers' widows 
 and orphans who may be located within their conference 
 bounds, and who, of course, come in for their share. 
 
 Let us now make an estimate for the whole denomination. 
 According to the minutes just referred to, the whole num- 
 ber of white members was 803,988— coloured 107,296— 
 Indians 2,617 — making a total of 913,901: — let us say 
 850,000. If that number contribute, on an average, but 
 five cents a week, in their respective classes, it will amount, 
 in the aggregate, to two millions two hundred and ten thou- 
 sand dollars ($2,210,000,) per annum ! 
 
 If the same number contribute, on an average, ten cenfs^ 
 at each of the quarterly love feasts, it will amount, in the 
 aggregate, to three hundred and forty thousand dollars 
 ($340,00) a year ! 
 
 If the same number contribute, on an average, a single 
 dollar in the course of a year, towards the various special 
 subscriptions and collections which are so common among 
 that denomination in behalf of their preachers and families, 
 it would amount, in the aggregate, to eight hundred and fif- 
 ty thousaiid dollars ($850,000) per annum ! 
 
 At this rate, from these three sources, alone, viz. class 
 meetings, love feasts, and special collections, there would be 
 realized the immense sum of THREE MILLIONS FOUR 
 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($3,400,000) PER 
 YEAR ! ! — a very handsome revenue, certainly, to be divid- 
 ed among about 4,000 preachers and their widows and 
 orphans !
 
 200 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 And if we add to this, the large profits of their "book 
 concern," and their various periodicals, and the receipts of 
 their local preachers' aid societies, and associations for the 
 relief of the widows and orphans of deceased Methodist 
 ministers, — the grand total would be vastly augmented ! — 
 Whether the estimates, as far as given, are too high, or too 
 low, the reader is to judge for himself. He has the data be- 
 fore him, and can form his own opinion. 
 
 Now let us contrast these methods of " raising supplies," 
 with the system adopted by the Presbyterian Church. I 
 have already remarked, that each Presbyterian congregation 
 elect their own pastor, and determine his salary. To raise 
 the amount thus promised to their minister, as well as to aid 
 in defraying the incidental expenses of their church, it is 
 customary to rent the pews, at prices fixed by the Board of 
 Trustees, and so graduated as to suit the various circum- 
 stances of the families composing the congregation. In 
 general, the rents of the pews, together with the ordinary 
 sabbath collections, are the only sources of revenue to pay 
 the pastor's salary and all other expenses connected with the 
 maintenance of public worship. In some country parishes, 
 instead of renting pews, they raise what they can by annual 
 subscription; and sometimes, when the ordinary revenue 
 falls short, special collections are made, to supply as far as 
 possible the deficiency. But, in general, the Presbyterian 
 Churches are pewed, and the rent accruing from them is their 
 only source of revenue with which to meet the salary of 
 their pastors; — the ordinary sabbath collections being seldom 
 sufficient to meet the incidental expenses. 
 
 I have stated that, the average rent of the pews in the 
 Third Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, is precisely $18,29^ 
 per annum; each pew being capable of seating at least six
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 201 
 
 adult persons; and that consequently, the average cost of a 
 single seat, is about $3 per year. What is the precise 
 average actually paid by the cotnmunicants who are pew 
 holders, it would require a good deal of trouble to as- 
 certain, because some of the pews are vacant — some are 
 rented by persons not communicants — some communicants 
 have whole pews, others halves, &c. — and some of them do 
 not pay any rent at all. Many of the vacant pews are those 
 which are considered the least eligible, and of course are 
 the cheapest. Taking, however, the whole of the actual 
 proceeds from the pews occupied by communicants and non- 
 communicants, and distributing the amount among the whole 
 number of the communicants attached to the church, I find 
 that the average, to each communicant, would be about four 
 dollars ($4) per year. In other words, if all the pews were 
 actually rented, the average of each seat would be about 
 three dollars ($3) a year: — as it is, the more costly, because 
 the more eligible pews being rented, the amount actually 
 paid by the present pew holders, communicants and non- 
 communicants, if divided among the whole number of com- 
 municants exclusively, would be about four dollars ($4) 
 each yearly. If we were to subtract from this what is paid 
 by non-communicant pew holders, the average actually paid 
 by the communicants would be of course so much less. Let 
 us however adopt this sum for the purpose of estimating 
 what would be at the same rate, the aggregate amount col- 
 lected from the total number of communicants within the 
 bounds of the Presbytery of Baltimore, according to the last 
 published report: — apprizing the reader that the returns as 
 published in the minutes are very imperfect, and again re- 
 minding him that many persons are pew holders, who are 
 not communicants. 
 26
 
 202 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 According to the minutes of 1842, (the last published,) 
 the total number of communicants within the bounds of the 
 Presbytery of Baltimore is 1466. The reports from the 
 churches under the care of this Presbytery were, however, 
 unusually imperfect the last year, as to the number of com- 
 municants. I have good reason for supposing, that the to- 
 tal number is about 2000; which, at $4 each, would be 
 $8000. If we divide this aggregate by 23, the total num- 
 ber of ministers, it will give to each three hundred and 
 forty-seven dollars and eighty-two cents ($347,82) per an- 
 num ! 
 
 It will be remembered that, in the estimate which we 
 made of the receipts of the entire Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, we deducted fifty per cent, from the alleged average 
 class meeting contributions in this city — because much less 
 is generally received from the members in the country, than 
 from those residing in the larger towns and cities. To make 
 the comparison fairly, we must of course throw off the same 
 discount in reference to the whole Presbyterian Church. 
 According to the minutes of 1842, the total number of com- 
 municants in the Presbyterian Church in the United States, 
 is 140,433; which at $2 each, would make $280,866. If 
 we divide this aggregate by 1508, the whole number of min- 
 isters, it will give to each one hundred and eighty-six dollars 
 and twenty-five cents ($186,25) per year! 
 
 Or, suppose we make no reduction for the country churches, 
 and take the sum which we certainly know is more than 
 what is actually paid, on an average, by the communicants 
 of the Third Presbyterian Church in the city of Baltimore — 
 the account would then stand thus: — Total number of 
 communicants 140433, which, at $4 each, would make 
 $561,732. This, divided by 1508, would give three hun-
 
 riNANCIAL MEASURES. 203 
 
 dred and seventy-iioo dollars and Jifty cents ($372,50) to 
 each Presbyterian minister per year ! 
 
 Now, it is not pretended that these estimates are exact — 
 for all that can be done is to approximate the truth. The 
 data, and the explanatory remarks, are before the reader, and 
 he may form his own opinion. Certain I am, that, upon a 
 comparison of the two systems, he must be convinced, that 
 the Methodist " free seats," yield a much larger revenue, in 
 proportion to the number of communicants, than do the 
 "rented pews" of Presbyterian churches ! 
 
 But it may be inquired, if the pew system yields so much 
 less revenue than the other, why do Presbyterians adhere to 
 it ? I reply, that we willingly forego great pecuniary advan- 
 tages for the sake of others, which we consider of far great- 
 er importance. Some of the reasons which induce us to pre- 
 fer the pew system are the following: — 
 
 It is much more convenient. Each family having their 
 own pew, they can always procure their seats, without be- 
 ing excluded by others, or uncomfortably crowded in them. 
 They need not go an hour or two before the time, in order 
 to get seats, or incommode others by crowding into seats al- 
 ready sufficiently filled. 
 
 It is much more conducive to right family government 
 and discipline. As each family sit together in the same pew, 
 the parents can of course see whether their children are in 
 church or not — whether, if they are present, they are awake 
 or asleep — attentive or inattentive — orderly or disorderly, 
 and can exercise such authority and discipline as their con- 
 duct may require. 
 
 The pew system, moreover, is much more conducive to 
 the order and decency becoming the house of God. Where 
 families sit together and the sexes are unseparated, even the 
 worst disposed are necessarily restrained in their conduct
 
 204 riNANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 during public worship — for no man would dare to be guilty 
 of any indecorum towards a lady in the presence of her 
 husband, father, or brother. And as they leave the church 
 together, there is no opportunity for wives and daughters to 
 be insulted, by persons crowding around the doors under the 
 pretext of waiting for their scattered companions! We never 
 witness any confusion or disorder in our houses of worship, 
 and never heard of any insult being offered to any one in 
 leaving them; and we ascribe the quietude and order of our 
 congregations in a great measure to our pew system. We 
 need no watchers to prevent disorder in our churches — nor 
 do we ever require the police to interfere for the purpose of 
 preventing or suppressing a riot ! The ladies of our con- 
 gregations are not required to wait until they are discovered 
 by their protectors after the service, or made to pass from the 
 house of God through along double file of men, to be gazed 
 at by the impudent, or elbowed, pulled, and otherwise insult- 
 ed by the vicious ! I have no doubt but that the pious mem- 
 bers of Methodist churches and all orderly persons connect- 
 ed with their societies, discountenance, and endeavour, as 
 far as possible, to prevent the monstrous evils to which I 
 have alluded : but they are not able wholly to prevent them, 
 nor will they ever be, as long as they adhere to their " free 
 seats," or to the separation of families in their meeting 
 houses. 
 
 The truth is, that many of the Methodist people them- 
 selves diVe painfully convinced of the evils of " free seats," 
 and are fully satisfied of the superior advantages of the pew 
 system. Indeed it is said that in many of the northern and 
 eastern states they have long had pewed churches ; and but 
 recently such a church was erected by Methodists in the city 
 of Philadelphia. And if we may rely upon public rumour, 
 there are some in this city who have also determined upon
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 205 
 
 erecting a pewed church! I think it not unlikely that the 
 pew system would be generally adopted among them, if they 
 could collect the rent weekly, instead of quarterly, or semi- 
 annually, and thus realize as much money as they at present 
 do from their weekly class meetings. True, many of them 
 now magnify their " free seats," and inveigh against rented 
 pews. But the time was when many of them used to thank 
 God that their preachers were not " made ministers" — 
 "college bred ministers," &c., and yet now they have their 
 colleges and seminaries — such as they are — and appear by 
 no means ashamed of those among their clergy who have 
 been "educated for their clerical profession!" And why 
 may we not anticipate the general introduction of the pew 
 system among them ? especially if, in connection with their 
 weekly classes, they can make it equally profitable ? And if 
 the pew system should be generally adopted by them, why 
 not the permanent settlement of pastors? We shall see. 
 Hear what some Methodists can say in favour of the pew 
 system, when they have resolved actually to adopt it. — I 
 quote from the printed " Constitution of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Trinity Church of Philadelphia," pp. 7 and 8: — 
 " Introduction. The project of erecting a Methodist 
 Episcopal Clmrch, to be furnished with pews, has long been 
 entertained by a number of the members of the church in 
 this city. No decided movement calculated to promote the 
 measure was made, however, until early in the present year," 
 (1841,) "when, after a free interchange of sentiment on 
 the subject, it was agreed that a meeting of persons friendly 
 to the object should be held, for joint conference and advice 
 in the matter. This meeting convened on the evening of 
 Tuesday, February 2d, and was opened with prayer by the 
 Rev. John Kennaday. The Rev. James Smithy presiding
 
 206 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 elder, acted as chairman, and John Wetherill, jr., as sec- 
 retary. 
 
 " The strong feeling in favour of a pewed church mani- 
 fested at this meeting, and the high degree of encourage- 
 ment offered, led to the adoption of immediate measures for 
 carrying out the plan. Committees were appointed to enter 
 into preliminary arrangements and inquire as to the prospect 
 of obtaining subscribers to the stock, and in the course of a 
 very few days, so liberal was the support offered, and so 
 gratifying the approval expressed by numbers who were 
 spoken to on the subject, that the immediate erection of a 
 church with pews was deemed to be fully authorized, and that 
 too, under circumstances of the most auspicious character. 
 
 " The friends of this measure, which, though new in Phil- 
 adelphia, has long been satisfactorily tested in the northern 
 and eastern conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 as well as by the Wesleyan Methodists of England, believe 
 that, by the erection of a pewed church, the following ad- 
 vantages will, under the blessing of Providence, be enjoyed 
 and secured, viz.: 
 
 " 1. Parents will be enabled to be seated with their fami- 
 lies and friends, during divine worship, and thus have the 
 immediate charge of their children ; a measure eminently 
 calculated to promote order and good behaviour. 
 
 " 2. The inconvenience of crowded seats, often painful 
 to persons in delicate health, and the difficulty of procuring 
 a place, will be avoided, and the satisfaction enjoyed of 
 having, as a matter of right, a particular seat in the church, 
 which may be occupied under all circumstances without 
 infrintring on the comforts of others. 
 
 " 3. The cause of true religion, under God's favour, will 
 be promoted, in extending the tidings of the gospel of
 
 FINANCIAL MEASURES. 207 
 
 Christ to a class of hearers who are averse to visiting Meth- 
 odist churches, simply because they cannot secure a seat of 
 their own — many such having already agreed to occupy pews 
 in Trinity Church." 
 
 On page 10, there is the following note: — "-Trinity 
 Church is regularly attached to the Philadelphia Confer- 
 ence, and the society is, in all respects, governed by the 
 Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this coun- 
 try. The Rev. John Kennaday was appointed pastor by 
 the last Conference." 
 
 Now, what more need be said in favour of pewed church- 
 es, than what has been said, in print, by the members of the 
 " Methodist Episcopal Trinity" (pewed) " Church of Phil- 
 adelphia?" Certainly, the first two reasons which they 
 have assigned, if there were no others, are quite sufficient : 
 and I would advise Presbyterians, when they hear the advo- 
 cates of " free seats" inveighing against rented pews, to 
 quote them the language of their Methodist brethren of 
 Philadelphia — presuming that their testimony, even without 
 an " endorser," will be " satisfactory !" 
 
 I will merely add, while on this topic, that no stranger 
 should be prevented from entering a pewed church from fear 
 of being considered an intruder. I am aware that great 
 efforts are sometimes made to prejudice persons against such 
 churches, on the ground that, as they are not pew-holders, 
 they would not be welcome ! Such misrepresentations are 
 slanderous. Let any stranger enter one of our pewed 
 churches, and he will find no gentleman — much less a 
 Christian — unwilling to accommodate him in his pew. In- 
 deed, it is common for our Boards of Trustees, to appoint 
 committees, who, in rotation, take their stations at the doors 
 of the church, for the express purpose of furnishing Strang-
 
 208 riNAKCIAL MEASURES. 
 
 ers with eligible seats : — such, certainly, is the practice in 
 the Third Presbyterian Church in this city. And if any 
 family desire habitually to worship with us, and yet are 
 unable to pay the rent of a pew, they will always be able to 
 find vacant seats; or, upon application to the proper offi- 
 cers, they will have particular pews assigned for \ht\v gratu- 
 itous accommodation.
 
 C KAFTER VX. 
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM— ITS MORAL MACHIN- 
 ERY—RELIGIOUS CHARACTER AND FRUITS. 
 
 Importance of distinguishing between mere Excitements and true Reviv- 
 als of Religion. — The illiterate character of Methodist preaching gen- 
 erally. — Their habitual and shameful misrepresentation of other Christ- 
 ian churches — their disparagement of the Christian character and piety 
 of other denominations. — Methods employed by Methodists in collecting 
 members into their church, and in proselyting from other denominations 
 — boasting of numbers — camp-meetings — protracted services — enroll- 
 ment of names — prejudicing serious and inquiring individuals against 
 other denominations — tampering with the members of other churches 
 with a view to proselyte them to their sect — special object of their camp- 
 meetings and frequent Excitements to proselyte from other churches. — 
 The alleged efficiency of Methodist preachers compared with the fruits 
 of Presbyterian ministers. — Ejects of Methodism — in lowering the 
 standard of qualification for the Gospel ministry — the little value they 
 place upon Christian instruction — the perverted taste which Methodism 
 creates for hearing the word of God — the improper notions it begets in 
 regard to divine truth — its unhappy effects upon the world. — Illustrations 
 of the amazing credulity and gross fanaticism of Methodism. 
 
 Before I proceed to exhibit the "moral machinery," 
 &c. of Methodism, the reader will indulge me with one or 
 two preliminary remarks. 
 
 It is a very common device of the advocates of certain 
 " revival measures," as they are called, to represent all who 
 oppose them^ as being opposed to revivals of religion — to 
 denounce those who write and speak against fanaticism, as 
 writing and speaking against spiritual and vital godliness — 
 and to represent all opposition to the aiders and abetters of 
 27
 
 210 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 such enthusiasm, as opposition to God himself ! ! But we are 
 not, by the grace of God, to be deterred from our duty by such 
 denunciations. We have abundant evidence, that the '-reviv- 
 als" produced by such machinery, are nothing but spurious 
 excitements ; and that their effects are most disastrous to 
 the permanent interests of true religion. And just in pro- 
 portion as we value genuine revivals, we feel it to be incum- 
 bent on us, to guard them, as far as possible, against corrup- 
 tion and abuse. Pare revivals are too important to the pros- 
 perity of Zion, the glory of God, and the salvation of souls, 
 to be allowed silently to degenerate into mere fanatical com- 
 motions, evanescent in their duration, it is true, but in their 
 effects, permanently and widely injurious both to the church 
 and the world. We are, God knoweth, the earnest advocates 
 of scriptural revivals of religion — we sincerely labour and pray 
 for their promotion — w^e rejoice whenever we hear of them 
 from any part of Christendom — and it has been graciously 
 vouchsafed to the writer, more than once, to thank God for 
 their existence and blessed results under his own ministra- 
 tions of the gospel : and, therefore, it is, that we so earnest- 
 ly oppose all counterfeits, and feel it to be our duty to expose 
 the machinery by which they are produced. 
 
 An additional reason for exposing these things is, because 
 the members of that denomination frequently appeal to such 
 commotions, as evidences of the superior usefulness and pie- 
 ty of their church — and represent those churches, in which 
 such excitements do not exist, as being destitute of "the life 
 and power of godliness." It is true that, with those who 
 have been properly instructed — who are able to discriminate 
 between true and false religion — and who have had an op- 
 portunity of judging between the permanent results of a gen- 
 uine and spurious revival, such representations, or rather 
 misrepresentations, can have but little effect. But it is far
 
 PHACTICAL METHODISM. 211 
 
 Otherwise with multitudes who have but little spiritual dis- 
 cernraent and slill less Christian experience. Such are often 
 deceived by present specious appearances, and sometimes 
 actually ensnared before they are made conscious of the awful 
 delusion! It is due therefore to our own vindication, as 
 well as to the interests of immortal souls, to exhibit these 
 matters in their true lisfht. 
 
 It has been my design throughout this work, not mere- 
 ly to present my own individual opinions and impressions, 
 but also to exhibit the proo/" of the facts in the case, either 
 from official and authentic documents, or the testimony of in- 
 telligent, pious and unimpeachable witnesses. In accord- 
 ance with this, I shall now present the testimony of one, 
 who, it will be seen, has the very best of "endorsers" — and 
 whose statements have been corroborated by many other in- 
 dividuals. The articles entitled "Pra ctical Methodism," 
 from which 1 shall quote, were originally published in the 
 Philadelphia "Christian Advocate," edited by the Rev. Jish- 
 bel Green, D. D. L. L. D. — for many years the respected 
 Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, in the city of 
 Philadelphia, and subsequently the venerated President of 
 the College of New Jersey at Princeton. The learned, pi- 
 ous, and patriarchal editor, thus introduces the writer to his 
 readers: — 
 
 "Editorial Remarks. — We have seen, for a considera- 
 ble time past — and we have seen it with sincere and deep 
 regret — that we could not redeem our pledge to defend, to the 
 extent of our ability, the Presbyterian Church against unjust 
 attacks, nor sustain, as we understand it, the character of a 
 Christian Advocate, without making some unpleasant stric- 
 tures on our Methodist brethren. They have openly and 
 frequently, from the press and the pulpit, indulged in bitter 
 invectives, against the doctrines, the ministers, and the or- 
 der of the Presbyterian Church. We have hitherto borne
 
 212 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 this without any reply; and it is not our intention now, to do 
 more than permit our correspondent to exhibit to the readers 
 of our miscellany, some of the bad features of what he calls 
 practical Methodism. We think that such things as he has 
 hitherto noticed are, to say the least, not 'lovely and of good 
 report,' and that as such they ought to be publicly exposed; 
 and we believe that in doing this we render a service to gen- 
 uine Christianity, and do all that is necessary at present to 
 the defence of the church to which we belong — 
 
 'Vice is a monster of such odious mien, 
 As to be hated needs but to be seen.' 
 
 "Our correspondent professes to speak of what he has 
 personally known; and we know him too well to doubt the truth 
 of his statements. We understand him to say, that although 
 the practices which he condemns are general in the Methodist 
 communion; yet that there are individuals (we would hope a 
 goodly number) who neither approve of nor indulge in them." 
 — Ch. Ad. vol. VIII. p. 474. 
 
 At the conclusion of the series, the venerable editor ad- 
 vertises his readers as follows: — 
 
 "A very respectable and truly esteemed member of the 
 Methodist communion, called on the editor, and at his re- 
 quest stated what occurred at the time, as subjects of com- 
 plaint, in the papers entitled 'Practical Methodism.' The 
 statements of the complainant were written down in his 
 presence, and read to him by the editor, that their correct- 
 ness might be unquestionable; and a promise was made, that, 
 if conviction of error should ensue, the errors should be 
 promptly acknowledged, and publicly corrected. 
 
 "The items of complaint, were, as soon as practicable, 
 transmitted to the author of the papers in question, and he 
 was asked to say what he could in his own vindication. In 
 the mean time, the editor carefully inquired of all who he 
 supposed could give information relative to the points com-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 213 
 
 plained of; and he had opportunities to do so, from individu- 
 als of candour, reputation and intelligence, from many parts 
 of the country, both far distant and near at hand. He also 
 received letters, in which voluntary, unsolicited observations 
 were made on the papers entitled ' Practical Methodism,' so 
 far as they had then appeared in the Advocate; and the whole 
 had appeared, except the one" [the last] " to which these 
 remarks are subjoined. The result has been, a more com- 
 plete and satisfactory conviction in the mind of the editor, 
 than he feared the subject would admit of, that nothing has 
 appeared in his pages that cannot he strictly verified. The re- 
 ports, without one exception, have been, that the statements 
 are unequivocally true; and some have gone farther in their 
 allegations than the writer of 'Practical Methodism.' **** 
 
 "He" (the writer) "replies in detail to all the other items 
 of complaint which were transmitted to him; but it is not ne- 
 cessary to insert his particular replies, since in relation to all 
 he has written, he affirms — ' No fact has been stated, which I 
 cannot substantiate. The facts either passed under my own 
 observation, or were narrated to me by creditable and pious 
 individuals. If facts are even highly coloured, it is a fact of 
 which I am not conscious. So far from doubting a single 
 statement made, I have not heard an individual say a word 
 respecting them, who did not say that they were similar to w^hat 
 he was called to witness continually.' This, it will be per- 
 ceived, is in exact accordance with the reports which, as we 
 have stated, have been made to us from various quarters. We 
 are therefore perfectly satisfied, that we have made no represen- 
 tations that need to he corrected, qualified, or explained, heyond 
 what is now before the reader.'''' — Ih., vol. IX., pp. 249 — 50. 
 
 With the foregoing remarks of Dr. Green before him, the 
 reader will be prepared to appreciate the following extracts 
 from the articles referred to: — 
 
 1 . The illiterate character of Methodist preaching. — " One
 
 214 PBACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 of ihe first characteristics of their preaching is, that it com- 
 municates little or no instruction. This is owing to two 
 causes; the illiteracy of iheir preachers, and the little value 
 they place upon evangelical truth, as a means of conversion 
 and sanctification. However, in theory, some of this de- 
 nomination may value learning and biblical truth, I am per- 
 suaded that practical Methodism; speaking of it at large, 
 disregards both. And the fact that a man has passed through 
 a preparatory course of instruction for the ministry, is, in 
 many parts of the country, a strong argument against him. 
 And that preacher who addresses himself to the understand- 
 ing, and who, through the understanding only, attempts to 
 call up the affections, is usually unpopular, and considered 
 jejune. With the multitude of the denomination, the best 
 possible recommendations, for the gospel ministry, are strong 
 lungs, excitable feelings, a ready flow of words, and a great 
 show of zeal. 
 
 " To be satisfied of the truth here stated, nothing more is 
 necessary than to attend their places of worship a few times. 
 It will immediately appear that there is an evident attempt 
 to excite the feelings, and to arrest attention; but you will 
 rarely hear the text explained, its connexion given, its diffi- 
 culties removed, or the truth it inculcates clearly stated. 
 And if ever these are attempted, so great a lack of ability 
 will usually be discovered, as to induce you from the heart, 
 to wish that the preacher had tarried at Jericho a little 
 longer. I recollect, not long since, hearing a circuit preach- 
 er * preach from the text, ' Keep thy heart wuth all dilligence, 
 
 * The writer here used the common expression, " circuit rider" — but as 
 it appears this phrase was complained of, in order to avoid unnecessary 
 offence, I have taken the liberty (notwithstanding ihe satisfactory expla- 
 nation which was given for its use) of substituting the word " preacher' 
 — and will do the same in the other instances ia which the obnoxious sO' 
 briquet is employed.
 
 Practical Methodism. 215 
 
 for out of it are the issues of life.' The following was his 
 exegesis of the passage. ' Here,' said he, ' the heart is 
 compared to a vessel, kept together with hoops. If the 
 hoops become loose, or the slaves shrink, the water in the 
 vessel will issue out. So it is with the heart. Unless it is 
 kept with dilligence, the life will issue out of it, and then 
 you will be destitute of life.' The few hearers present 
 thought this explanation wondrous clear. And this want of 
 instruction from the pulpit, is clearly discoverable among the 
 people. They become attached to a few cant phrases, and 
 to a few peculiar doctrines; but the accession which they 
 make to their stock of Bible knowledge is exceedingly limit- 
 ed. Thus the truth of the adage is clearly exemplified — 
 * like priestf like people.'' I venture to say that there is no 
 class of protestant Christians so generally ignorant of the 
 Bible, or of the connexion and bearing of its solemn and 
 eternal truths, as those of this denomination." — Ch. M., 
 vol. VIII. , pp. 471 a7id 2. 
 
 The above allegations zxe general, and of course admit of 
 honourable exceptions — as the writer has acknowledged. 
 It should be recollected also, that their best qualified minis- 
 ters are usually appointed to city stations or the larger towns 
 — and in these, doubtless, their people are better instructed. 
 But taking the country at large, or considering the qualifi- 
 cations of their clergy as a body, the foregoing statements 
 are literally and mournfully true. And this is the only fair 
 method of forming a just judgment. — No one would be just- 
 ified in pronouncing the ministry of a church illiterate, be- 
 cause there are a few individuals among them comparative- 
 ly ignorant — and that there are such, among the clergy of 
 every denomination, is freely admitted. So neither may we 
 consider the Methodist clergy, as a body, properly educated 
 and duly qualified for their profession, because there are in-
 
 216 PRACTICAL MKTKODISM. 
 
 dividuals among them who have been liberally educated. It 
 is true — and I mention it to their honour — that, of late years, 
 they appear to be more friendly to an educated ministry; but 
 still, it is notorious, that the greater part of them are com- 
 paratively ignorant men; nor have they, as yet, as far as I 
 know, so altered their rules, as to require, ordinarily, a libe- 
 ral course of learning on the part of their candidates for the 
 sacred office. 
 
 2. Their habitual and shameful rnisrepresentation of other 
 Christian churches. — "Another characteristic of their preach- 
 ing is, abuse of other denominations of Christians. The 
 word abuse is, we know, sometimes applied to a candid ex- 
 amination of the opinions of those who differ from us in 
 sentiment. But when the word is so used, it is itself abused. 
 When I say that the Methodists in their preaching abuse 
 other denominations, I employ the word in its ligitimate 
 sense. I mean to say that, for sectarian purposes, they per- 
 vert and caricature the opinions and belief of their-brethren. 
 And this is a sin, as far as I know, co-extensive with Meth- 
 odism. — If there are individual exceptions, I have not met 
 with them ; — nor is it an occasional sin, nor a sin of infirmity; 
 it is habitual, and a sin in whose commission they delight. 
 And so uniform has been this abuse, whenever I have heard 
 them preach, that I have frequently thought a sermon was 
 not considered by them complete without it. And then 
 such abuse ! If it was wit, or argument — if it displayed 
 genius, or erudition, it could better be borne. But such tor- 
 turing of sentiment — such absurd conclusions as they press 
 home upon their opponents — such ignorance as they exhibit 
 respecting the opinions they combat — such violence done to 
 all reason and logic as they manifest, have been to me truly 
 astonishing. Above all things else, the doctrines of grace 
 are their peculiar abhorrence. The divine decrees they re-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 217 
 
 present as excluding all agency on the part of man — perse* 
 verance, according to them, lulls into carnal security; and so 
 with all the rest. And not only do they charge these false 
 and denied conclusions upon Calvinistic preachers, but they 
 put them into our very creed, and proclaim to the world 
 that we receive them with a cordial credence. 
 
 '' From doctrines they pass on to a hireling ministry. 
 This is with them a very fruitful source of declamation. 
 They distort it, magnify it, dwell upon it, until, in the minds 
 of the ignorant, they give it some importance; and call their 
 brethren who have stated salaries in ihe ministry, by the 
 charitable names of ivolves, hirelings^ fleece- seekers. Then 
 they revert to themselves, and exhibit themselves as the on- 
 ly men who have freely received, and who freely give. Nor 
 is all this without its effect. And this I have known them 
 to do, not unfrequently, when their own salaries for preach- 
 ing were much greater than those of the parties against 
 whom they were declaiming; and when, as respects the de- 
 claimers themselves, it might truly be said, their preaching 
 was not worth a farthing. Nor is this abusive warfare con- 
 fined to one denomination — it is indiscriminate. It is waged 
 with the Baptist, the E})iscopalian, the Presbyterian; — none 
 of any Shibboleth escape but those of Wesley. 
 
 " And then the occasion on which this abuse is frequent- 
 ly commenced, greatly aggravates the evil. We should con- 
 clude that our Methodist brethren, who make a high claim 
 to piety, and a desire to promote the salvation of souls, never 
 would introduce controverted subjects, so as to turn the at- 
 tention of their hearers from the one thing needful to dispu- 
 tative doctrines. But it is far otherwise. Wherever, under 
 the labours of other ministers, God is pouring out of his bless- 
 ed Spirit, they are sure to be there. If harmony prevails, 
 the great object is to disturb it. If there are no Meth- 
 28
 
 218 PRACTICAL MLTHODISM. 
 
 odists there, the chief aim is to make some. They com- 
 mence by preaching on doctrines, and reviling the prevailing 
 denomination, whatever it may be. If a word is said in op- 
 position to their measures, they cry out persecution, persecu- 
 tion; and on this terrific word they ring the changes until, if 
 they can effect it, a division takes place, a party is formed, 
 and they gain a footing. And this course they pursue, un- 
 til, too often, the candle of the Lord is extinguished, the 
 windows of heaven are closed, and the Spirit of grace with- 
 draws his saving and converting influence. We have known 
 of more than one revival stayed in its progress, by just such 
 a course of conduct as this. It would seem in such instan- 
 ces, as if their great object in the ministry was, to make 
 converts to Methodism; and that to make consistent and in- 
 telligent Christians, was an object of only secondary import- 
 ance." — lb., vol. VIII., pp. 473 and 4. 
 
 Let me here give a few specimens, from their oracle, Wesley, 
 of the candid, pious, and charitable language which many of 
 them habitually employ, when speaking of the doctrine of 
 decrees; held by a large part of Protestant Christendom, and 
 particularly by the Presbyterian Church. — I quote from a 
 sermon by Mr. Wesley, entitled "Free Grace," contained in 
 the 1st vol. of his Works, New York edition, 1835: — 
 
 " But is it," (the grace or love of God) " free for all, 
 as well as in all? To this some have answered," — [who? 
 — the answer is included within the usual marks of quota- 
 tion, but without reference to any author ! — were the commas 
 placed there to make his readers believe that he is quoting 
 the express language of Calvinists ? — how very candid and 
 pious!!] — "To this some have answered, 'No: itisfreeonly 
 for those whom God hath ordained to life; and they are but 
 a little flock. The greater part of mankind God hath ordain- 
 ed to death; and it is not free for them. Them God hateth;
 
 PilAClICAL MliTlIODISM. 219 
 
 and therefore^ before they were born, decreed they should die 
 eternally. And this he absolutely decreed; because so was his 
 good pleasure; because it was his sovereign will. Accord- 
 ingly they are born for tliis, to be destroyed body and soul 
 in hell. And they grow up under the irrevocable curse of 
 God, without ayiy possibility of redemption; for what grace 
 God gives, /te gives only for this , to increase, not prevent, 
 their damnation.^ " 
 
 Now observe — he does not say that such are, in his judg- 
 ments the logical inferences from the doctrines of Calvinists — 
 (that would be odious enough !) — but that " some have an- 
 swered" thus — in other words, such is their own horrible and 
 impious belief! ! — and that his readers may be persuaded to 
 think so, the answer is placed within inverted commas, as 
 though the words were quoted verbatim I ! And I have lit- 
 tle doubt but that many of his readers, and many of his cler- 
 ical followers too, have supposed that this was a literal ex- 
 tract from the veritable writings of some horrible Calvinist! ! 
 and have quoted it, from Maine to Georgia, as demonstra- 
 tive proof, that Presbyterians actually hold the sentiments 
 which they have habitually charged upon them ! ! ! But 
 what must we think of such conduct in Mr. Wesley 9 — a 
 Presbyter of the Church of England, and " sometime Fellow 
 of Lincoln College, Oxford !" — Did not he know better? — 
 I am free to say that, such instances of gross and slanderous 
 misrepresentation and defamation go very far to impair my 
 confidence in his general sincerity and piety. 
 
 Again Mr. Wesley says, — " It is a doctrine full of blas- 
 phemy;" — " that it represents our blessed Lord Jesus Christ 
 as a hypocrite, a deceiver of the people, a man void of com- 
 mon sincerity;" — " as mocking his helpless creatures;" — 
 " as weeping crocodile's tears over the prey which himself 
 had doomed to destruction." — " It represents," says he,
 
 220 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 " the most holy God as worse than the devil, as both more 
 false, more cruel, and more unjust." ! ! ! 
 
 And, to give only one more specimen; — in view of the 
 representation which he had just given of the doctrine, — a 
 representation which no intelligent and pious Calvinist can 
 read without horror, — he breaks out in this strain — " One 
 might say to our adversary, the devil, 'thou fool, why dost 
 thou roar about any longer ? Thy lying in wait for souls is 
 as needless and useless as our preaching. Hearest thou not, 
 that God hath taken thy work out of thy hands; and that he 
 doeth it much more effectually ? Thou, with all thy princi- 
 palities and powers, canst only so assault that we may resist 
 thee; but He can irresistibly destroy both body and soul in 
 hell ! Thou canst only entice; but his unchangeable decree, to 
 leave thousands of souls in death, compels them to continue 
 in sin, till they drop into everlasting burnings. Thou 
 temptest; He forceth us to be damned: for we cannot resist 
 His will. Thou fool, why goest thou about any longer, 
 seeking whom thou mayest devour ? Hearest thou not that 
 God is the devouring lion, the destroyer of souls, the mur- 
 derer of men? Moloch caused only children to pass through 
 tiie fire; and that fire was soon quenched; or the corruptible 
 body being consumed, its torment was at an end: but Gorf, 
 thou art told^ by his eternal decree, fixed before they had 
 done good or evil, causes not only children of a span long, 
 but the parents also, to pass through the fire of hell, the ' fire 
 •which never shall be quenched:' and the body which is cast 
 thereunto, being now incorruptible and immortal, will be ever 
 consuming and never consumed, but ' the smoke of their tor- 
 ment,* because it is God's good pleasure^ ' ascendeth up for 
 ever and ever.' " ! ! ! 
 
 Such, gentle reader, are a few specimens of the temper- 
 ate, pious, and candid manner, in which the Rev. .Tohn Wes-
 
 PKACTICAL MliTHODISM. 2:21 
 
 ley and his followers exhibit " the doctrines of grace,'' as 
 held by thousands of accredited ministers of the gospel, and 
 hundreds of thousands of acknowledged Christians ! ! It 
 is not my present purpose to vindicate those precious doc- 
 trines from these blasphemous caricatures and shameful mis- 
 representations: this I have done in the lectures recently pub- 
 lished and previously referred to, entitled " A Brief Exposi- 
 tion and Vindication of the Divine Decrees, as taught in 
 the Assembly's Larger Catechism." My object in citing the 
 foregoing passages was, merely to show the manner and 
 spirit in which the Methodists misrepresent and vilify them. 
 And this, be it remembered, they have persisted in doing, 
 notwithstanding their accusations have been a thousand times 
 repelled, and their false inferences denied and refuted ! No 
 doubt but they are still employed in the candid, charitable 
 and righteous work of charging upon us, as a part of our 
 creed, sentiments which we have not only again and again 
 disclaimed, but in regard to which, we have, in the most 
 public, formal and solemn manner, expressed our utmost 
 detestation and abhorrence. — Nor will they cease to urge in- 
 ferences the most impious and horrible, from premises as- 
 sumed by themselves and falsely attributed to us, with as 
 much confidence and vehemence as if they had never been 
 denied or refuted by us ! And all this, we are well aware, 
 is not without its popular effect. Thousands of uninformed 
 people are thus persuaded, that Presbyterians do verily be- 
 lieve that God is more false, more cruel, and more unjust 
 than the devil ! ! — that the non-elect are tempted and com- 
 pelled to sin by the Almighty ! ! — and that they are uncon- 
 ditionally and unavoidably damned eternally, not on account 
 of their voluntary and criminal rejection of the gospel, but 
 solely by the good pleasure or sovereign will of their arbi- 
 trary and malignant Creator ! ! ! — Yea, that children a span
 
 22*2 PKACTiCAL METIlOUISM. 
 
 long are in hell, suffering the torments of unquenchable 
 fire ! ■' ! ! No marvel that multitudes are so prejudiced against 
 Calvinistic ministers that they will not hear them preach, — ■ 
 or read, with any thing like candour, what they have to say 
 in their own defence. And yet, to guard against the possi- 
 bility, that some might hear or read for themselves, and so 
 be convinced of the shameful imposition which had been 
 practised upon them, they issued an official tract, from their 
 denominational press in New York, entitled "Duplicity 
 Exposed ! " in which they gravely assure their readers that, 
 although we disclaimed the sentiments which they had im- 
 puted to us, it was all duplicity, and was, therefore, entitled 
 to no credit!!! True, it appears that public opinion would 
 not tolerate such an official, wholesale, and scandalous libel 
 upon Christian ministers and churches, and they have been 
 compelled to withdraw it from public circulation. But the 
 preparation and publication of such a tract, shows to what 
 lengths they have actually gone in the unhallowed work of 
 defamation. And I fear that, although that particular tract 
 is no longer officially circulated, yet the slanderous matter it 
 contained, is still disseminated, in other ways, by many of 
 their bigoted preachers and multitudes of their illiberal and 
 uncharitable members. — The Lord deliver us from the use 
 of such carnal weapons ! — They may multiply proselytes to 
 Arminian Methodism, but it is at an awful expense, truly I 
 And what other motive, than that of sheer sectarian selfish- 
 ness, could induce men thus to impair the influence and 
 usefulness of so many accredited ministers of the gospel ? — 
 Surely, if they were really disinterested, and more desirous 
 of the conversion of souls to Christ, than the making of 
 proselytes to Methodism, they would sincerely rejoice to 
 learn, that their brethren disclaim sentiments, which they 
 profess to hold in such abhorrence; and would cordially aid
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 223 
 
 in removing the prejudice, which themselves had unjustly 
 created, against their fellow labourers in the kingdom of our 
 common Lord and Saviour. 
 
 As a sct-ofT to the foregoing passages from the sermon of 
 Mr. Wesley, let us show what this same Mr. John Wesley 
 could say concerning these Calvinistic doctrines — to serve a 
 purpose — tliat is, when he desired to conciliate and efiect a 
 union between himself and some of those who held them. 
 To counteract the legitimate effect of this glaring inconsist- 
 ency, the editor of his works remarks, in a note, that these 
 " extreme concessions" were made " in the early part of his 
 ministry" — for peace-sake — and his " strong desire to unite 
 with Mr. Whitefield." To this, I reply— Mr. Wesley was 
 born in 1703, and ordained in 1725, and that what follows 
 was written by him in 1743; so that he was, at the time 
 he wrote, only forty years of age ! and in the eighteenth 
 or nineteenth year of his ministry ! — And as to the object 
 assigned, how could that justify him in making such con- 
 cessions, if he really believed the doctrines to be asunscrip- 
 tural and horrible as he at other times and on other occasions 
 represented them to be ? — Was it the failure to effect a union 
 with those impious Calvinists, which so embittered his spirit 
 against their doctrines, and which caused him subsequently 
 to write against them, more like a vulgar and malignant 
 blasphemer, than a Christian scholar and divine ? But let 
 us hear him on this particular occasion, which constituted so 
 memorable an exception to his usual manner. His words are: 
 
 " Having found, for some time, a strong desire to unite 
 with Mr. W^hitefield as far as possible, to cut off needless 
 dispute, I wrote down my sentiments, as plain as I could, in 
 the following terms: — 
 
 " There are three points in debate: 1. Unconditional elec- 
 tion. 2. Irresistible grace. 3. Final perseverance.
 
 224 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 " With regard lo the first, unconditional election, I be- 
 lieve, that God, before the foundation of the -world, did un- 
 conditionally elect certain persons to do certain works, as 
 Paul to preach the gospel: that he has unconditionally elect- 
 ed some nations to receive peculiar privileges, the Jewish 
 nation in particular: that he has unconditionally elected some 
 nations to hear the gospel, as England and Scotland now, 
 and many others in past ages: that he has unconditionally 
 elected some persons to many peculiar advantages, both 
 with regard to lemporal and spiritual things: and 1 do not 
 deny, (though I cannot prove it is so,) that he has uncondi' 
 tionally elected some persons to eternal glory. But I cannot 
 believe, that all those who are not thus elected to glory, 
 must perish everlastingly:" [Who does ? — certainly Presby- 
 terians do not:] " or, that there is one soul on earth, who 
 has not ever had a possibility of escaping eternal damna- 
 tion. 
 
 " With regard to the second, irresistible grace, I believe, 
 that the grace which brings faith, and thereby salvation into 
 the soul, IS irresistible at that moment: That most believers 
 may remember some time when God did irresistibly con- 
 vince them of sin: That most believers do, at some other 
 times, find God irresistibly acting upon their souls: Yet, I 
 believe that the grace of God, both before and after those 
 moments, may be, and haih been, resisted: and that, in gen- 
 eral, it does not act irresistibly; but we may comply there- 
 with, or may not: and I do not deny, that, in some souls, the 
 grace of God is so far irresistible, that they cannot but be- 
 lieve, and be finally saved. But I cannot believe, that all 
 those must be damned, in whom it does not thus irresisti- 
 bly work: or, that there is one soul on earth, who has not, 
 and never had, any other grace, than such as does, in fact, 
 increase his damnation, and was designed o[ God so to do.**
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 225 
 
 [Who does ?— Did Mr. Whitefield ?— Do Presbyterians? — 
 Certainly not.] 
 
 " Willi regard to the third, final perseverance, I incline to 
 believe^ that there is a state aitcnnchle in this life^ficm uhich 
 a jnan c Amy OT finally full:^^ [This is too strong for us ! — 
 We believe that God's grace will prevent his people from 
 falling, so that they will not — not that they cannot fall:] 
 " and that he has attained this, who can say, ' old things are 
 passed away; all things^ in me ' are become neiv.^^^ — Wes' 
 ley's Works, vol. III., p. 289. 
 
 I need not add any thing to what the writer of " Practi- 
 cal Methodism" has said, respecting the invidious compari- 
 sons which Methodist preachers are in the habit of making 
 between their " ministerial support" and that of others, as I 
 have abundantly exposed the injustice of such comparisons 
 in a preceding chapter. I will therefore proceed to extract 
 what he says on the subject following, viz: 
 
 3. Their disparagement of the Christian character and 
 piety of other denominations. — " The lime was, when our 
 Methodist brethren made a great show of charity — it was, 
 when they were far less numerous than they are at present; 
 and when they were compelled to conceal their real feelings, 
 in order to make any progress. And this show of charity, 
 under certain circumstances, is not unfrequently made even 
 now. When they enter a place where any other sect is 
 dominant and popular, they are very conciliating in public; 
 they preach only on the acknowledged doctrines; they talk 
 much about charity, and brotherly love; and yet, too often, 
 are at this very time, profuse of their invective in private. 
 Indeed it is not going beyond the truth to say, that there are 
 not a few of them who can assume almost any hue, to suit 
 circumstances. 
 29
 
 226 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 " They appear to believe that all but themselves are very 
 worldly minded. In the avowal of this opinion they make 
 no hesitation whatever. They point to their broad hats, and 
 plain bonnets, and straight coats, as evidences of their cru- 
 cifixion to the world, and of their want of conformity to its 
 fashions and vanities; and they refer to the more becoming, 
 though not more expensive dress of others, as a convincing 
 testimony that their hearts are filled with vanity. So much 
 do they permit their minds to dwell upon these trifling mat- 
 ters, that they suppose their friends, who attach themselves 
 to other churches, are and must be actuated only by world- 
 ly motives. They also think and proclaim, that the minis- 
 ters of other denominations make their sacred vocation 
 merely a profession; and enter it because they like it better 
 than law or medicine, and have no other object than to make 
 a living. And so much do their ' itinerants' dwell upon 
 these subjects, that the common people among them are ful- 
 ly persuaded, that there is nothing like true devotion, be- 
 yond the circle which encloses Methodism ! ■ On this sub- 
 ject I speak not theoretically. I testify what I do know. 
 When I was surrounded by Methodism, and was inquiring 
 to what body I should attach myself, my ears were continu- 
 ally filled with invectives against other denominations. I 
 was told of the formality of Episcopalians, the want of piety 
 among Presbyterians — the worldly mindedness of their min- 
 isters, how they frequented balls, and parties, and theatres; 
 and how many of them were given to intoxication ! ! ! Not 
 supposing that a spirit of proselytism ever could lead to the 
 utterance of such untruths, 1 believed all that was told me, 
 until I learned from experience that they violated the ninth 
 commandment. 
 
 *' Again, they suppose all but themselves very destitute of 
 practical piety. They have imbibed the fallacious opinion,
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 227 
 
 that there is no piety where there is not a great excitement of 
 animal feeling. Hence their meetings are conducted with 
 great confusion, two or more praying at the same time; in 
 prayer, the voice is raised to the highest note; during 
 preaching, the house echoes with the cry of amen. Hence, 
 too, they conclude, that the wort;hip, where similar confu- 
 sion does not exist, is a formal service; and that the denomi- 
 nations w'hich oppose it, are all destitute of the power of 
 godliness. This is the datum on which they arrive at their 
 conclusion; on which they exclude all but themselves from 
 the reigning power and influence of divine grace. 
 
 "Believing that genuine piety is found only among them- 
 selves, they seem as desirous to proselyte from other denomi- 
 nations, as to convert a sinner from the error of his ways. 
 And when from a sister church an individual passes over 
 to them, they consider it a matter of as much rejoicing as if 
 a profligate had become pious. Can this be accounted for 
 in any other way, than that they consider the denomination 
 from which the proselyted individual comes, as destitute of 
 all true religion ? I think not. The same truth is evident 
 from the manner in which they lament the conduct of a 
 child, or a friend, who joins any other denomination of 
 Christians. They mourn over it with bitter lamentation; 
 and in appearance are as much affected by it, as if the child 
 or friend had imbibed some damnable heresy. **** 
 
 " That this is their feeling is also obvious, from the way 
 in which they talk about Methodism. With many, it is the 
 synonyme of piety and godliness. According to their reck- 
 oning, where there is no Methodism, there is no religion. 
 In the west and south, the prayer is frequently heard — 
 * Lord revive Methodism; may this wicked people be con- 
 verted to Methodism; may Methodism have free course and 
 be glorified.' What but a disbelief of the total want of
 
 228 PRACTICAL METHODISM, 
 
 piety among other denominations, connected with the most 
 abject ignorance, can account for such absurd, I had almost 
 said impious conduct. 
 
 "The feeling above described, is also obvious, from the 
 manner in which they locate their preachers. The great ob- 
 ject of every society, having in its power the location of 
 evangelical ministers, should be to send the gospel to the 
 really destitute. But this forms no rule of conduct for our 
 Methodist conferences. Their object frequently is, not to 
 find out destitute places and to supply them, but to find out 
 where there is a probability that some of their vociferous 
 and fluent declaimers can distract a supplied and quiet peo- 
 ple, and make Methodists. I say not that this is their uni- 
 form object; for many of the younger brethren are sent into 
 the woods, until they catch the pitch; but I assert it to be 
 frequently their object. I have known itinerants to locate 
 themselves in towns where there was not a single Methodist, 
 and where there were large churches of other denominations 
 well supplied. What possibly could have been their object, 
 when thousands w^ere famishing for the bread of life in their 
 own vicinity } The only legitimate inference is, that they 
 considered these places as destitute. At the distance of a 
 few miles from my residence, is a very pleasant county 
 town. In that town, there is a large Baptist and Presbyte- 
 rian Church. In each of these churches, there are two ser- 
 mons delivered every Lord's day; and one or more lectures 
 during the week. The town contains ONE member of the 
 Methodist Church; and that member is an old lady, so in- 
 firm that she rarely can attend on preaching. And yet, in 
 that town, for a year and upwards, one of their most polite 
 and declamatory ministers has been preaching; whilst many 
 parts of the county are as destitute as you can well ima- 
 gine. This preacher has been using every effort to make
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM, 229 
 
 Methodists, and hitherto without success; when I last visited 
 the place, the good old lady ' stood alone.' And this is on- 
 ly a specimen of their conduct thioughout the country. To 
 what I'eelin": can we trace such conduct as its origin ? Plain- 
 ly and unequivocally, to a belief that other denominations 
 are destitute of the life and power of true godliness. 
 
 " I make not these statements by way of complaint against 
 the Methodists, as if they had not the common privilege of 
 thinking as they see fit about their brethren; but I do make 
 them for the purpose of placing their true character before 
 the public. — They have more credit for kindness of feeling 
 towards others than belongs to them. Nay, we venture to 
 assert there is not a Christian denomination, the" [Roman] 
 *' Catholics only excepted, that regard those who differ from 
 them with less complacency. This opinion an intimate ac- 
 quaintance with them, of more than twelve years, has con- 
 strained me to adopt. **** 
 
 "And is it so then, that the Methodists, as a body, are 
 more pious than other denominations? It is true they say 
 and think so; but does f/ieir testimony establish the fact? 
 We admit that they make a greater show of piety; that they 
 preach and pray more boisterously; that some of them wear 
 long faces and plain garments. But these things may all be 
 assumed, for the sake of impression. Long and public 
 prayers, unwashed faces, and broad phylacteries, were no 
 sure indications of piety among the Scribes and Pharisees. 
 ^How then can they be so among the Methodists ? And if 
 the factitious methods by which they have obtained, and re- 
 tain, a character for piety, were laid aside, we believe their 
 piety would be considered generally, as it now is by the en- 
 lightened and thinking, as little deserving of confidence, to 
 say the least, as that of many other protestant people.
 
 230 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 " Piety consists not in any form of dress, in any show of 
 feeling, nor in the use of any cant language. It consists in 
 a firm belief, and in right conceptions, of the being, perfec- 
 tions and providence of God ; with suitable affections to 
 him, trust in the Redeemer, and a constant obedience to his 
 holy will. Was it my object to depress Methodism, I could 
 show very plainly, that their piety falls farther short of this 
 definition, than that of many of their sister churches." — 
 Ch. Ad., vol. VIIL, pp. 517—520. 
 
 In this city, as I have abundant evidence to know, noth- 
 ing is more common than for many Methodists to boast of 
 the superior piety of their own church, and at the same time 
 to disparage that of other denominations. Many of them 
 talk as if there were no real religion in the world, except 
 among themselves, and affect to deplore the want of vital 
 godliness in other ministers and churches ! In this spirit 
 they not unfrequently speak of others, as having " only the 
 form of religion" — and of themselves, (humble souls !) as 
 having its vitality and " power!" And they talk much of 
 " the life" of their meetings, and of " the coldness and 
 deadness" of the religious services of others. I have no 
 doubt but that, with many, the selfish motive in all this is, 
 to make proselytes from other churches in order to swell the 
 number of their own sect. But with others, who are more 
 sincere, it arises from false notions of the nature of true re- 
 ligion, and the very small degree of real piety which they 
 themselves possess. 
 
 If religion consisted in wearing a '^broad brimmed hat, a 
 plain bonnet, or a straight coat: — If it consisted in assum- 
 ing a sanctimonious countenance and air — in using certain 
 cant expressions — in singing and praying vociferously, as if 
 the Almighty were deaf: — If it consisted in shouting, and
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 231 
 
 clapping, and dancing — in crying " amen ! " or shouting 
 " glory ! " " hallelujah ! " — Jf it consisted in swooning, or 
 laughing hysterically — in dreams, and visions, and fanatical 
 impressions and impulses: — //" the religion of the God of de- 
 cency and order, consisted in Phariseeism, fanaticism, con- 
 fusion and uproar, — then, I grant, it might be easy to prove, 
 that there is not only more of " the power of godliness" in 
 the Methodist, than in other churches, hut very little of it, 
 comparatively, among the other sects — except, perhaps, the 
 Shakers, who, notwithstanding their denial of the Deity of 
 Christ, &c., can shout, and shake, and dance with prodi- 
 gious noise, "power," and agility!! Biit is this the reli- 
 gion of the Bible ! Are practices such as these, infallible 
 evidences of pre-eminent holiness ? Are they indicative of 
 any, of the least degree of piety ? Is it not an undeniable 
 fact, that multitudes who glory in them, give very little, if 
 any evidence of real religion ? Yea, is it not notorious, that 
 some who shout the loudest, prove, by their daily walk and 
 conversation, that they are no better than their ancient pro- 
 totypes — the Scribes and Pharisees — so graphically describ- 
 ed and severely rebuked by our Lord and Saviour. (See 
 Matt., 23d chap.) However great may be their self-com- 
 placency, I can assure them that the pretensions of many of 
 them to superior piety, are pretty well understood by the in- 
 telligent and observing — and particularly by many who have 
 acquired some experience in their commercial dealings with 
 such saints ! And if they have any doubts concerning their 
 general reputation, let them go upon " 'change," or enter 
 the counting-houses of any of our intelligent merchants, 
 and try how far their straight coats, long faces, and cant ex- 
 pressions will procure them credit ! — Or, if they allege that 
 mere worldlings are no proper judges of " the life and power 
 of Methodism," let them test the value of their loud amens,
 
 232 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 &c., among " the knowing ones" of their own " brethren," 
 and see how far they will trust them, without other security 
 than that of their Methodistical profession ! ! I do not in- 
 deed, suppose that all who indulge in the enthusiastic and 
 fanatical practices adverted to, are hypocritical or irreligious 
 — many of them, no doubt, are truly sincere and strictly 
 pious, according to their views of truth and duty. What I 
 affirm is, that such practices are no indications of piety at 
 all — much less of eminent holiness; because they may, and 
 actually do often exist in connection with conduct which is 
 Utterly irreconcilable with genuine piety. It is with pleasure, 
 I acknowledge also, that many of the more intelligent and 
 pious among the Methodists, do not themselves approve of 
 many of the things to which I have alluded. And were it 
 not for the use, which many of that sect habitually make of 
 these matters, I should gladly have omitted all reference to 
 them. But when they are held up by multitudes for the 
 double purpose of glorifying their own church, and of dis- 
 paraging the religious character of other denominations: — 
 when it is confidently asserted, that they are proofs of the 
 life and power of religion among the Methodists, and their 
 absence in other churches, infallible evidences of their for- 
 mality and spiritual deadness: — when bigots and proselyting 
 zealots are, on this ground, perpetually seeking to prejudice 
 the members of other communions against their own de- 
 nomination, and in favour of Methodism, it is our obvious 
 duty to expose them. 
 
 I said that this disparagement of the piety of other 
 churches, arises not only from false notions of the na- 
 ture of true religion, — but also from the very small degree 
 of piety which they themselves possess. Unless this were 
 so, it would be morally impossible for them to character- 
 ize the instructive exposition of the word of God, as un-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 233 
 
 edifying — the faithful exhibition and enforcement of divine 
 truth, as dry and cold — the orderly, reverential and solemn 
 prayer and praise of other churches, as formal, dead, &c. 
 The truth is, these exercises are too spiritual for their carnal 
 hearts, or comparatively dwarfish Christian experience. If 
 they had the life of true religion within their souls, or had 
 mo7-e of it than they have, they would be able to enter into 
 these purely spiritual exercises with unspeakable interest and 
 profit. No marvel, if they are wholly destitute of piety 
 themselves, that nothing but the excitation of their natural 
 sensibilities can make them conscious of any feeling in the 
 house of God ! No wonder, if they possess only a small 
 degree of grace, that so many adventitious circumstances 
 and appliances are indispensable to enable them to realize 
 what they take to be the poiver of religion, or to elicit, in 
 any good degree, their love, and gratitude and praise ! But 
 instead of disparaging the spiritual services of evangelical 
 churches, let such endeavour to obtain the grace of God, or 
 an increase of it, and then they will no longer contemn the 
 ordinances of Jehovah, or characterize them as " cold form- 
 alities," and "lifeless, unedifying ceremonies." 
 
 4. In addition to what I have already quoted, the writer 
 of " Practical Methodism" thus animadverts on the meth- 
 ods employed by our Methodist friends in collecting members 
 into their church and in proselyting from other denomina- 
 tions. 
 
 " There is," says he, " scarcely a periodical published 
 from Maine to Mississippi, under Methodist influence, which 
 is not continually ringing changes on their 450,000 mem- 
 bers." [This number has been, since then, more than 
 doubled, and their boastfulness has fully kept pace with its 
 augmentation.] " They are never tired of proclaiming that 
 they are the most numerous religous denomination in the 
 30
 
 234 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 Union; and that they are more rapidly increasing than any 
 other. And whilst I have no desire to break in upon round 
 numbers, or to deny that they are increasing, it may be well 
 to inquire, how so large a number has been collected, and 
 by what means additions are making to them. 
 
 " In the collecting of this large number, ' camp-meetings* 
 have been very efficient. The annual recurrence of the 
 ' camp-meeting season,' is the great harvest of Methodism. 
 Then every sickle, no matter how dull, is expected to 
 cut; then, from every field, no matter how unpromising, the 
 reapers are expected to return, bearing their sheaves with 
 them. Hundreds, of every class and description, flock to 
 these meetings; some for one purpose, some for another. 
 Day and night, they are harangued with all the strength of 
 lungs and language, which bishops, circuit ministers, local 
 preachers, class leaders, men and women, can command. 
 There are but few imaginations so dull as not to be excited 
 by the scenes here exhibited; and but few possessing feelings 
 so * saturated with earth,' as not to be kindled up by the 
 wild enthusiastic addresses which are made to them. The 
 consequences naturally to be expected ensue. Much feel- 
 ing is awakened — many are excited to tears — some are heard 
 sobbing aloud — and some, under the pressure of a boister- 
 ous address, are almost frantic. Feeling begets feeling" — • 
 [just as naturally as laughter begets laughter — or gaping be- 
 gets gaping.] "The contagion spreads from circle to cir- 
 cle, and from camp to camp; and soon they are seen led in 
 from all quarters, ' to be prayed for.' The names of all who 
 are in any way excited, are taken down by the ministers; 
 and at the breaking up of the meeting, they are declared to 
 have united with the Methodists. And a notice is written 
 and sent to the ' Advocate and Journal,' stating that at such 
 a camp-meeting, so many were converted.
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 235 
 
 "It is true that the ' Discipline' requires an apprentice- 
 ship of six months, before they are admitted to full com- 
 munion. But this is merely a theory of the ' Discipline,' 
 which is but rarely practised. I have known them ' con- 
 verted' one day, and partake of the communion the next. 
 If there is a difference between communion and full com- 
 munion, I know not what it is, or on what it is based. 
 
 " I could state a great many facts, respecting these camp- 
 meeting converts. Whilst some, I freely admit, have hon- 
 oured their profession and their Saviour, by a life of godli- 
 ness, I have known many others return to the beggarly ele- 
 ments of the world. Four or five years since, in the town 
 adjoining that in which I live, about one hundred were con- 
 verted; or, to use Methodist language, ' got religion,' at a 
 camp-meeting. At this time, scarcely one of them main- 
 tains a character for piety. A few of them yet 'hold on,' 
 but the rest ' have fallen from grace.' It is presumed that 
 these backsliders, with all the like circumstances throughout 
 the country, go to swell up the round sum of 450,000 mem- 
 bers. It is not a very uncommon circumstance, to hear an 
 individual exclaim at these meetings that he has ' got reli- 
 gion,' and to see him, before he has returned home, get 
 drunk. And a more common circumstance is, to see them 
 ' brought out with power,' and to hear them pray, and ex- 
 hort, and shout, and in the course of a few months after- 
 wards, to hear them say that ' religion is all a hoax.' To 
 these things I can testify. And yet it is presumed that eve- 
 ry name placed on the ministerial books at the meetings, 
 goes to make up the round sum of 450,000 members. 
 
 " The circuit preachers pursue a plan, well adapted to in- 
 crease their numbers, without adding to the amount of piety. 
 The fact is, that almost every circuit preacher is a Methodist 
 recruiting officer. The moment any thing like seriousness
 
 236 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 occurs in a place, the preacher furnishes himself with pencil 
 and paper; and with the one in his pocket and the other in 
 his hat, enters the meeting. After a noisy exhortation, he 
 passes round the room, asking man, woman, and child, if 
 they wish to be prayed for; and if so, to give in their names. 
 Without any hesitation, they generally answer his question 
 in the affirmative, and give their names. In the course of 
 a few weeks, some of them become the hopeful subjects of 
 grace. The preacher visits them, and they tell him the fact. 
 ' Oh ! yes,' he replies, ' I have been praying for you, and I 
 knew the Lord w'ould convert you.' Tf the brother or sis- 
 ter expresses a desire to join some other church, he makes 
 no hesitation in saying, 'you have been converted by Meth- 
 odist prayers, and now you should join the Methodist 
 Church.' If this is not clear demonstration to the indivi- 
 dual he is addressing, he produces the paper, on which the 
 name was at first enrolled, as evidence that the conversion 
 was the result of Methodism. If neither his art nor per- 
 suasion succeeds in making the individual a Methodist, he 
 retires from the house, perhaps saying, ' thank God, I am 
 not so proud, but that the Methodist religion is good enough 
 for me.' And afterwards, in his intercourse with his broth- 
 ers and sisters, he vents his insinuations against the piety of 
 the individual. Throughout the country, these are things of 
 constant occurrence. 
 
 " Not long since, in a village not far from my residence, 
 there was a little excitement in a sabbath school. From the 
 school it extended itself among several of the youth of the 
 place. The circuit preacher heard of it, and was soon on 
 the spot. After a most vociferous sermon, he requested the 
 youth to remain behind. He took out his paper and enroll- 
 ed all their names. He was uncommonly solicitous that 
 they should join the ' class.' And this, too, when they were,
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 237 
 
 nearly to an individual, the children of parents attached to 
 other denominations. His conduct so disgusted the better 
 informed, as to induce them to forbid their children going to 
 meeting; and it is believed was the means of stopping a 
 work, which gave promise of a very interesting spiritual 
 harvest. 
 
 "Another fact to illustrate what I call their recruiting 
 spirit. Not many miles distant from the town in which I 
 live, is a very pleasant village, in which there is but one 
 Methodist professor. And from all accounts, although of 
 age, he can neither read nor write; and although a Christ- 
 ian, he frequently needs the presence "of a parson to drive 
 away the witches. This village being supplied by a minis- 
 ter who was rather unpopular, the 'itinerants' thought it was 
 a good time for them to make a descent. They gave notice 
 of a ' two days' meeting,' and came at the time appointed. 
 Crowds came to hear and see them. At the close of their 
 meeting, which was nearly occupied by drawing carica- 
 tures of Calvinism, and in abusing other denominations, 
 one of their orators arose and made a speech, in substance 
 as follows — ' We have come here, my friends, to do you 
 good, and to preach the gospel to you in its simplicity and 
 purity. If we can procure a good class here, we will con- 
 tinue to meet regular appointments; if not, we must go 
 where we can.' He then gave an invitation to any who de- 
 sired to form themselves into a class, to come forward and 
 give in their names. None appearing to move, he rose a 
 second time, and addressing himself first to some professors 
 of other churches, said, 'will you join?' They replying 
 with a very significant shake of the head, he passed on to 
 the others; and went round the room, putting the question to 
 every individual, ' will you join?' And grievous to relate, 
 not one of them consented, although under the excitement
 
 238 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 of a 'two days' meeting.' And this TertuUus had to sit 
 down, under the by no means desirable conviction, that his 
 labours and hopes were all in vain. But the very course of 
 conduct whose failure is narrated here, is that which in other 
 places is doing execution, and has achieved wonders in 
 swelling the list of members to the round sum of 450,000. 
 " Another method used by them for increasing their list, 
 and which is considerably powerful, if we may judge of its 
 strength by its effects, is that of prejudicing serious and in- 
 quiring individuals against other denominations. Perhaps no 
 trait is more generally characteristic of Methodism than this. 
 And the extent to which it is sometimes carried is truly as- 
 tonishing. It is however in perfect keeping with their gen- 
 eral character. Having imbibed the opinion, that of all 
 sects, they are the most holy, orthodox, devoted, and (to 
 use a phrase from their own vocabulary) ' God honouring 
 people;' and that all other denominations are formal, world- 
 ly minded, erroneous in belief, and without the power of 
 godliness, we might reasonably expect just such a course of 
 conduct, as that on which we are animadverting. But sure- 
 ly neither law nor gospel, nor Christian charity, can counte- 
 nance the conduct to which we see this opinion lead every 
 day. When a person is reported as serious, and who is 
 known to have but little prejudice in favour of any denomi- 
 nation, a visit may very soon be expected from the circuit 
 preacher. If, in the course of conversation, he discovers 
 any leaning to another fold, he is sure to discant upon the 
 character and doctrines of its shepherd and sheep. And that 
 too, in such a way, as to make the impression, that they are 
 not walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the 
 Lord blameless. To verify the truth of these remarks, I 
 could narrate at least twenty instances, within my own 
 knowledge. Nor is this conduct without its effect, in swell-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 239 
 
 ing the list of 450,000 members. There is no period of 
 mature life, perhaps, when individuals are more credulous, 
 than when under a deep conviction of sin. At such a pe- 
 riod, every thing said, especially by Christian ministers, has 
 its weight. And when statements are made by an indivi- 
 dual wearing a clerical dress, and a very sober countenance, 
 with a drawling, religious tone, the serious inquirer cannot 
 find in his heart to think that all is not just so. And the de- 
 ceptive representations of other denominations, made by 
 * itinerants' to individuals under these circumstances, I have 
 known to make impressions which all time will not erase. 
 — Nor is this conduct confined to serious persons, who 
 have no particular predilections. I have known it to be 
 pursued towards the wives and daughters of members and 
 elders of other churches. 
 
 '' To place in a clear and convincing light what I state, I 
 ask the liberty of inserting an extract from a letter I hold in 
 my possession. Its history is as follows — In a certain town, 
 there was a fashionable young lady, who became serious, 
 obtained a hope of her good estate, and expressed a desire 
 to unite with a Presbyterian Church. The Methodist itine- 
 rant preacher was uncommonly anxious that she should unite 
 with them. How to accomplish his desires he knew not. 
 On opening the door one morning, the letter from which the 
 following extract is made, was found, directed to the young 
 lady. The itinerant preacher was charged to his face with 
 being the author of it, and never denied it. — 
 
 " * My Sister, — As you are about to take a step which will 
 be of great importance to your future welfare, permit me to 
 ask a few questions, which though you may not see proper 
 to answer, yet they will be remembered when you and I are 
 standing at the tribunal of Almighty God. 1st. What bene- 
 fit do you expect in the Presbyterian Church which you can-
 
 240 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 not find in ours ? Do they preach the gospel any purer, or 
 with more success ? Do they pray with more zeal, or do 
 they possess any more of apostolic fire, than our preachers 
 do? Who has manifested the greatest desire for the salvation 
 
 of ; the Methodists or the Presbyterians ? Brother 
 
 H (meaning himself) has never got but tv^^enty-two 
 
 dollars, whereas the Presbyterians have collected near one 
 hundred dollars at one time. Whose labours does God bless 
 the most, that of the Methodists, or Presbyterians .'' Do not 
 the Presbyterians admit of card-playing, going to the thea- 
 tres, &c., &c.; how then, can they be the people of God.^ 
 Take heed, my sister, how you join that church; you may re- 
 pent of it, when it is eternally too late. Leaving out of 
 view all the God-dishonouring horrors of election and repro- 
 bation, I cannot see how you can join that people. Beware, 
 my sister, what you do; farewell till we meet at the judgment, 
 where you will know that he who writes this is 
 
 Your Friend.' 
 
 "Does this need any comment.'' Can there be a more 
 preposterous exhibition of hypocrisy, avarice, falsehood and 
 impiety ! And whilst I would by no means, say, that all 
 their ministers would go as far as ' Your Friend,' I 
 have no hesitation in saying that the feeling exhibited in the 
 above extract is that which, in kind, is possessed by a large 
 majority of the itinerants, in the Methodist connexion. And 
 whilst two thousand and upwards of such men are abroad 
 through the land, beating up for Methodist recruits, and de- 
 termined to make Methodists in any way, and at all hazards, 
 can we wonder that they can boast of the round number of 
 450,000 members .?"— J6., vol. IX., pp. 20—24. 
 
 The same pharisaical, bigoted, and proselyting spirit is 
 constantly manifested by many of them in this city. They 
 are perpetually endeavouring in private to disaffect the mem-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 5241 
 
 bers of other churches, with a view to proselyte them to 
 Methodism. And the lengths to which they sometimes go, 
 are almost incredible. They often speak, as if there were 
 no real conversions under the ministry of other denomina- 
 tions, and no vital or experimental religion among the mem- 
 bers of other sects. — " Come to our meeting" — they often 
 say to the members of other churches — " come to ow meet- 
 ing, if you want to get religion !" And one of them, in re- 
 monstrating with his relative against sending her child to a 
 Presbyterian sabbath school, is said to have exclaimed — 
 " What ! do you want your child to go to hell ! ! " 
 
 In their efforts to disaffect our people and to proselyte 
 them to their sect, they sometimes resort to the most shame- 
 ful vilification of our doctrines, and to the most dishonoura- 
 ble and uncandid misrepresentations of the personal views, 
 feelings and conduct of Presbyterian pastors. Let me give 
 one or two examples. For some years after my settlement 
 in this city, I was in the habit of occasionally inviting their 
 ministers to occupy my pulpit; as I felt a desire to be upon 
 friendly terms with every evangelical denomination of Christ- 
 ians. But in no one instance, w^as this professional courte- 
 sy ever reciprocated by them. Had this uncivil neglect 
 been all, I should never have publicly noticed it; but, to my 
 surprise, I heard from one and another, that the members of 
 the Methodist Church were privately animadverting upon 
 my " bigotry," in not being willing to preach in their pul- 
 pits ! — " Owr preachers," said they, " frequently preach in 
 your pulpit, but your pastor is so proud or bigoted, that he 
 will not preach in any of ours ! ! " Again, when one of 
 their meeting houses in my neighbourhood was undergoing 
 repairs, I cheerfully consented to their occupying our house 
 of worship, which they did for weeks — and left, without 
 even saying, " thank you sir '■ " But this want of politeness 
 31
 
 242 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 was a trifle, cornpared with the representations which some 
 of their members were making, during the very time they 
 were occupying our church, of my alleged heresy and illib- 
 erality 1 1 In short, without entering into further details with 
 which 1 have been personally connected, I have had but too 
 much reason to know, that private misrepresentation and 
 personal detraction are, to a great extent, employed by Meth- 
 odists in their efforts to break down other churches, with a 
 view to the upbuilding of their own. And I may add that, 
 so far as my experience goes, the utmost liberality and kind- 
 ness are utterly lost upon many of them, who seem to be in- 
 capable of appreciating either, when exercised by a Calvin- 
 ist, and who appear to think, that almost any measures are 
 lawful, in opposition to Presbyterian ministers and churches. 
 One great object too, of their camp-meetings and occa- 
 sional excitements in their churches, is, no doubt, to prose- 
 lyte the members of other denominations. This I infer, 
 from the zeal with which they invite and urge the members 
 of other congregations to attend. Without these expe- 
 dients, they would have but little prospect of proselyting 
 from other Christian sects — for their ordinary services are, 
 to say the least, not more interesting than those of other 
 churches; nor, without them, could they have the same pre- 
 text for enticing others from their usual places of worship. 
 But there seems to be no sectarian design, in inviting other 
 Christians to a " camp-meeting" — and many go, without 
 ever suspecting that the object is, if possible, to convert 
 them to Methodism. So every now and then, an excitement 
 is " gotten up," in one or more of their meeting houses; and 
 it again furnishes a pretext for inviting and urging the mem- 
 bers of other denominations to visit their churches. To cre- 
 ate such an excitement, they usually have on hand some " ex- 
 traordinary preacher" — some " wonderful orator" — some
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 243 
 
 " great revivalist" — and generally, he who happens to be 
 the present operator, is the most eloquent, powerful and suc- 
 cessful preacher, that has ever preceded, or that ever will 
 come after him ! Accordingly, their members flock from their 
 different places of worship, and from all parts of the city to 
 hear the orator and revivalist, — (and to give information of 
 tiie desired point of concentration, their numerous pulpits 
 and class meetings afford abundant and unusual facilities,) 
 and then the crowd, thus created, is alleged as demonstra- 
 tive evidence, not only of the prodigious eloquence of the 
 preacher, but also of the extraordinary presence and power 
 of God ! They sing and pray vociferously — shout at the 
 top of their voices — clap their hands, and hollow "glory ! 
 hallelujah!" — and then it is circulated far and wide, that a 
 powerful and glorious revival of religion is in progress in 
 such a meeting house ! And now, noio is the time for mak- 
 ing proselytes — to urge those who belong to other sects to 
 come and hear the prodigy, and to participate in the revi- 
 val ! Now is the time for many to show their revived 
 Christianity ! by disparaging other ministers and churches, 
 and by drawing comparisons between " the life and power of 
 Methodism," and "the formality and deadness" of other 
 communions ! And in order that the greatest possible num- 
 ber may be thus enticed, the revival, as they call it, like 
 some portable machine^ is carried from one meetinghouse to 
 another, and from one section of the city to another. This 
 machinery is usually set in motion, at least once a year ; 
 though, if any special reason exist, or if any particular ob- 
 ject is to be gained, it can be put in operation at any time, 
 and in any place. I predicted, after the delivery of my lec- 
 tures on the Divine Decrees, and before their publication, 
 that soon after their appearance in print, a Methodist revi- 
 val might be expected, in my immediate neighbourhood —
 
 244 PRACTICAL METHODISM, 
 
 and so there was. I now predict that, (unless this exposure 
 shall prevent it,) soon after this work makes its appearance, 
 we shall have another, perhaps more " powerful," to prove 
 that all that is said concerning their polity, &c., is untrue, 
 and that they are the very best Christians on earth. But if 
 there should be a renewal of the same kind of excitement, I 
 trust that it will be with no greater success, so far as my 
 flock are contemplated — for to their honour, be it known, 
 that, notwithstanding all the efforts which were made to 
 proselyte them — and that for weeks in succession — not a 
 man, woman, or child could be seduced from the church of 
 their fathers. And if the selfish and sectarian objects of 
 those who seek to entice the members of other denomina- 
 tions, were better understood and more generally known, 
 there would be fewer proselytes from any of them. 
 
 But after all these methods of manufacturing converts, 
 what is the boasted efficiency of Methodism, as compared, 
 for example, with the alleged inefficiency of Presbyterian- 
 ism ? What are the relative numbers added to the respec- 
 tive denominations? According to the printed minutes of 
 1842, the increase of the Methodist communion was 60,983; 
 and the number of travelling and local preachers, 10,920 — 
 which would not be equal to an increase of six individuals, 
 on an average, for each minister during the year. Let us 
 now compare this with the minutes of the Presbyterian de- 
 nomination for the same year. The total number of addi- 
 tions reported (and the reports are far from being complete) 
 was 14,714, and the number of ministers and licentiates, 
 1,508; which would be nearly equal to ten additions, on an 
 average, to each minister during the year. Or, if we com- 
 pare the total number of communicants reported in 1842, 
 with the number reported in 1841, we shall find that the nett 
 increase was 6,000; which would be an increase of, very
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 245 
 
 nearly, four individuals to each minister during the year. If 
 all the Presbyteries and churches had reported the num- 
 bers added within their bounds, the sum total would have 
 been far greater. But even as it stands, what ground is 
 there for the frequent invidious comparisons, between the 
 boasted efficiency of Methodist preachers, and the alleged 
 inefficiency of Presbyterian ministers ? Considering the " ma- 
 chinery" which is employed in the production of Methodist 
 converts, and the frequency and "power" of their "revi- 
 vals" — considering the boastful manner in which they are 
 prone to speak of the success of their preachers, and the 
 disparaging manner in which they frequently speak of the 
 inefficiency of other clergymen, one would naturally ex- 
 pect, that the additions to their communion would be im- 
 mense, when, lo ! upon examination, it is discovered, that 
 the increase to their denomination, according to their own 
 Minutes for 1842, did not equal six individuals, on an aver- 
 age, to each of their ministers during the year! ! What an 
 advantage there is sometimes in subjecting such vain boast- 
 ings to the test of figures ! 
 
 While on this topic, I may be excused for adding a few 
 remarks concerning the fruits of my own ministry. I have 
 never before published, or caused to be published, a single line 
 respecting the number of additions to the church over which 
 I preside; although, during the deeply interesting seasons 
 with which we have been divinely favoured, I have been 
 urged by one and another to do so, because I have always 
 felt a strong aversion to any thing like ostentation or boast- 
 ing on such subjects. But as special pains appear to have 
 been taken by some of the members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church — particularly since the Lectures on the Divine 
 Decrees were delivered — to disparage my ministry, and to 
 misrepresent the state and prospects of the church and con-
 
 246 PRACTICAL METHODISxM. 
 
 gregation with which I am connected, I feel it to be due, not 
 only to myself, but likewise to the beloved people of my 
 charge, to state, as briefly and as modestly as I can, the fol- 
 lowing facts: — 
 
 1. With regard to the nuynher of additions to the commu- 
 nion of our church. I have been the bishop of the Third 
 Presbyterian Church of Baltimore between twelve and thir- 
 teen years; having been elected its pastor, on the 17th day 
 of May, 1830; and ordained, and installed as such, on the 
 25th day of July following. At the commencement of my 
 ministry, the congregation was very small — greatly involv- 
 ed in debt — and very much discouraged in consequence of 
 their previous disappointments and repeated failures. Ma- 
 ny a time have I lectured, on a week-day evening, to two or 
 three persons; and preached, on the sabbath, to fifteen or 
 twenty individuals — and for sevei'al years I laboured under 
 the greatest disadvantages. And yet, during my pastoral 
 connexion with them, without any of the modern " moral ma- 
 chinery," but by the blessing of God, upon his own ap- 
 pointed means of grace, there have been added to the com- 
 munion of the church, between four and five hundred souls — 
 or, on an average, between thirty and forty every year. 
 
 2. With respect to the pecuniary condition of the congrega- 
 tion, the following extract, from the last Annual Report of the 
 Board of Trustees, will speak for itself: — " As we have now 
 arrived at a new era in our financial history, it may be pro- 
 per to advert briefly to the past. For several years prior to 
 the installation of our present pastor, the condition of the 
 church was most deplorable. Few in numbers, and over- 
 whelmed in debt, the congregation was rapidly hastening to 
 dissolution. In the fall of 1828, the then existing Board of 
 Trustees were obliged to acknowledge their inability to ex- 
 tricate the church from its embarrassments; and, as a last re-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 247 
 
 sort, appealed to their fellow citizens and the members of 
 other sister churches for assistance. In that public appeal, 
 fas appears from the mss. records,) after giving a descrip- 
 tion of the state of affairs, they say, — ' It is manifest that 
 some spirited exertions must be made to extricate the 
 church, in whole or in part from this debt, or the premises 
 must be sold at auction to satisfy the just claims of its credit- 
 ors. The friends of the church are unwilling to submit to 
 this latter alternative; and they have therefore determined to 
 make one last and potent effort to relieve it, in which they 
 hope and pray that they may be sustained by their fellow 
 citizens, and especially by those of the same Christian denom- 
 ination with themselves.' The proposition which was then 
 made, viz. — to sell the pews — in a great measure failed; and 
 things continued to grow worse, until the summer of 1830, 
 when the present administration of the church began. Since 
 then, by the blessing of God, and the cordial and united co- 
 operation of the people, the church has been extricated from 
 its difficulties and brought into a condition highly gratifying 
 and encouraging. The property has not only been greatly en- 
 larged and improved — at a cost of some five or six thousand 
 dollars — but the original onerous debt, of at least the same 
 amount, has been reduced to less than two hundred and fifty 
 dollars. This, the ladies have generously assumed; and, 
 judging from their past activity and efficiency, (for which 
 they have our hearty thanks,) there can be no doubt but 
 that, in due time, it will be extinguished. The church, 
 therefore, may be considered as virtually free from debt; — a 
 consummation devoutly wished for, and one demanding our 
 special gratitude and praise !" 
 
 3. With regard to the present state and prospects of the 
 congregation^ — I can say without hesitation, that they have 
 never before been so encouraging. The services of the
 
 248 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 church have been of late, well sustained — the audiences un- 
 usually large — and the number of hearers, gradually, yet 
 steadily increasing. The lectures, through the week have 
 been remarkably well attended — and the church, large as it 
 now is, has been generally well filled on the sabbath. And 
 I will add, never, in the whole course of my ministry, have 
 my people manifested greater attachment or been more kind 
 and generous towards their pastor. Indeed, the opposition 
 from without, has evidently served to bind them more close- 
 ly to their friend and bishop, and to attach them the more 
 firmly to the doctrines and order of their venerated and belov- 
 ed church. I repeat it, that nothing but the misrepresenta- 
 tions which have reached my ears should have induced me to 
 make these statements: and I trust that what I have stated, 
 will satisfy the public that, for the present, at least, the Third 
 Presbyterian Church is not hastening to dissolution, nor are a 
 great many of its members about to turn Arminian Methodists!* 
 
 I will now proceed to give some extracts from the articles 
 on " Practical Methodism," relative to the effects of 
 Methodism on the church and on the world. He says, — 
 
 " By way of preliminary, I would state, that I am very 
 far from depreciating the good the Methodists are accom- 
 plishing all around us. I do, yea, and will rejoice, that 
 
 ♦ I will take the liberty of recording an additional fact — as remarkable 
 as it is creditable to the Christian character of the congregation. During 
 the whole period of my pastoral connexion with them, there has never 
 been a single jar in either the spiritual or temporal Boards of the church; 
 and I have yet to hear the /rsi negative voice m any of the meetings of the 
 church or congregation. And as to personal respect and kindness — their 
 conduct has been most exemplary. Is it any wonder that a pastor should 
 love such a people 1 — May he not be excused for this grateful acknowl- 
 edgment and public commendation 1 — Especially, when strangers seek 
 not only to alienate his people from him, but also to estrange him from 
 them"!
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 249 
 
 through their zeal and activity, the lamp of the gospel is 
 carried to many, sitting in the regions of darkness. In the 
 wild wastes, and new settlements of our country, as well as 
 in foreign lands, they are accomplishing much, which with- 
 out them, would probably remain undone. But yet, in seve- 
 ral respects, I think the effects of their influence are very 
 much to be deplored. And first, as it regards the church. 
 
 1. " Here the first obvious effect of their influence, is, in 
 lowering the standard of qualification for the Christian min- 
 istry. All history bears its mournful testimony to the deplor- 
 able effects of an unqualified ministry. Incompetent teach- 
 ers of religion have ever been the scourge of the church, 
 the abettors of error — the tools of wily ecclesiastics and 
 politicians, and at once the victims and supporters of super- 
 stition and fanaticism. Need I refer the readers of the Ad- 
 vocate to the evidence which proves these allegations? It 
 is written in sunbeams on the pages of every ecclesiastical 
 and civil historian. And in the face of all this light and 
 evidence, the Methodists, as a body, are the stern advocates 
 of an untaught ministry. Throughout the country, we see 
 them elevating men to the dignity of ambassadors of Christ, 
 utterly unprepared to discharge correctly, a single duty of 
 the sacred function. And if report speaks the truth, in the 
 south and west, it is no uncommon thing to hear them com- 
 mence their sermons by thanking God that they were not 
 ' man made ministers,' that they did not preach with the 
 enticing words of ' human larnin.' To the ignorance of 
 their clergy, as a primary cause, we may trace nearly all the 
 conduct on which strictures have been made, in my preced- 
 ing numbers. 
 
 " And I am sorry to state, that the influence of Methodist 
 example in this respect, is felt and seen in other branches of 
 the church of Christ. Influenced by motives not altogether 
 32
 
 250 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 justifiable, they admit yaung men to the holy calling, before 
 they have passed through a tythe of the necessary prepara- 
 tion. This is one of the signs of the times that makes me 
 tremble, like Eli, for the ark of God. If ever the church 
 sinks again into the darkness from which she was freed by 
 the reformation, it must be for the want of an intelligent 
 ministry. And if ever she becomes the joy of the whole 
 earth, diffusing her saving light from pole to pole, and ' from 
 the rivers to the end of the earth,' it must be, under God, to 
 the influence of a pious, talented, well informed ministry. 
 And the influence exerted by the Methodists, in advocating 
 an illiterate ministry, and in slandering the learning and ta- 
 lents of their more enlightened neighbours, will, in its ulti- 
 mate results, be found sufficient to counterbalance a large 
 proportion of the good they are effecting.* 
 
 2. " Another of their evil effects upon the church is, the 
 little value they place upon Christian instruction. Their sys- 
 tem is mainly formed with a reference to the passions. 
 Their preaching, praying, classes, camp-meetings, and love- 
 feasts, are all conducted so as to affect the passions. As it 
 respects instruction, a moral famine pervades every thing they 
 do. This might be expected from the character of a large 
 majority of their clergy. The time was, when the labour- 
 ing oar of ministerial duty, was the instruction of the rising 
 and risen generation; when none were admitted to the 
 church, without a knowledge of its doctrines and duties, 
 without being able to give a reason for the hope which they 
 professed. That was the golden age of the church, which 
 produced the Erskines and Owens; the Henrys and Baxters; 
 the Charnocks and Howes. Certain it is, that what these 
 great luminaries considered a necessary course of instruction 
 
 •See remarks on this subject on pp. 215 and 216.
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 251 
 
 for admission to Christian privileges, is by the Methodists, 
 in a great measure neglected. A person professes conver- 
 sion to-day, and is admitted to the communion to-morrow. 
 And thus the church is filled with ignorant members; igno- 
 rant of" the Bible, and in a very lamentable degree, of the 
 plan of salvation. Were it not for their reigning desire to 
 make members, they would probably, to some extent at least, 
 pursue a different plan; but as it is, the course which they pur- 
 sue is to be deplored. And their example in this respect, is 
 exerting a deleterious influence ^on other portions of the 
 church. Other denominations, to prevent their adherents 
 from becoming Methodists, ' where they can get religion so 
 easy,' admit them to membership, before the consent of en- 
 lightened piety and judgment would pronounce them quali- 
 fied. If the Methodist Church is determined to run upon 
 the rock on which the Romish Church split, and around 
 which its broken fragments are floating until the present 
 hour; it is earnestly to be wished, that her sister churches 
 may not be so unwise as to follow her. 
 
 3. " Another of the evil effects of Methodism upon the 
 church is, the perverted taste which it creates for hearing 
 the word of God. Such a taste have they created for clamor- 
 ous preaching, that now they will be satisfied with nothing 
 else. The great object of preaching, surely, is to elucidate 
 and explain the word of God, and to bring it home to the 
 heart and conscience. These two things must necessarily 
 be united; but among our Methodist brethren generally, such 
 an union is not regarded as important, and is in fact, seldom 
 witnessed. A didactic man among them is regarded as a 
 mere dabbler in human learning, and is generally unpopular. 
 "What can be more detrimental to the purity and prosperity 
 of the Church of Christ, than a sentiment like this ? If in 
 the sacred and divine institution of preaching, a calm, delib-
 
 252 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 erate, rational and pungent exposition of the scriptures, is to 
 give way to the narration of experience, and of wonderful 
 incidents and anecdotes — often to the veriest rant and bom- 
 bast, what is to become of the church? If the scriptures 
 cease to shine from the pulpit, what is to enlighten and save 
 the people ? 
 
 " Nor is the evil influence of Methodism in this respect 
 confined to themselves. Sorry am I to say, that it is seen 
 and felt among other denominations. Our preaching is in 
 many instances, dwindling down to declamation; our sermons 
 to rhetorical flourishes: expositions of scripture are superse- 
 ded by little flights of fancy, and too many of our youthful 
 preachers are more ambitious to collect their laurels from 
 Parnassus than from Calvary. When our modern sermons 
 are compared with those of the Erskines, and Matthew 
 Henry, and Witherspoon, how wide the difference between 
 them ! It cannot be denied or concealed, that the increas- 
 ing tendency of our pulpit exercises is to superficialness. 
 And that the rise and progress of Methodism has increased 
 this tendency very much, especially among the clergj- of the 
 second order of mind, to me is as clear as demonstration." — 
 Ch. Ad., vol. JX, pp. 189—191. 
 
 The tendency to the kind of preaching above mentioned, 
 " among the clergy of the second order of mind," general- 
 ly, has certainly not been decreasing since the foregoing 
 strictures were written. It has become in truth deplorably 
 prevalent. How many of that class use their texts as mere 
 mottos, and entertain their hearers with mere declamation or 
 *' rhetorical flourishes." How seldom do such elucidate 
 and explain the passage of scripture on which they profess 
 to discourse. In many instances, the hearers are as little in- 
 formed of its connexion and true meaning, after the sermon, 
 as they were before. And if any one should happen to for-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 253 
 
 get the text after it had been announced, he would never be 
 reminded of it by the substance of the sermon itself. In- 
 deed, so little do many of them " stick to their text," that 
 it is doubtful whether they themselves could tell what they 
 were preaching from, if suddenly interrogated in the midst 
 of their " flights of fancy" or inelevant and bombastic de- 
 clamation. — The grand object with such appears to be, either 
 to "tickle the ears" of their hearers, or to make, what is 
 called, " a powerful impression" upon their feelings. 
 
 I have no doubt but that, in many cases, it is the same in- 
 feriority of mind, which leads them to the adoption of much 
 of the -^ moral machinery'''' of Methodism. Being unable to 
 sustain themselves as public teachers, by the force of talent 
 and the variety and instructiveness of their discourses, they 
 are obliged to resort to various arts and appliances, to cover 
 their deficiency, and to retain or replenish their audiences. 
 And for the same reason, many of them call in the aid of 
 some popular revivalist, every now and then, to resuscitate 
 their languishing churches, w^hich, without such extraneous 
 aid, would literally die of spiritual ennui ! Certain am I, 
 that it would be morally impossible for some men to sustain 
 themselves in the positions they occupy, if they were to dis- 
 pense with their periodical helps from abroad, and the vari- 
 ous machinery by which they contrive, for a long time, to 
 keep up a factitious interest. And yet the machinery will 
 ultimately wear out; and the feebleness and inefficiency of 
 those who have very little else to rely upon for success, be 
 made too apparent to be concealed. I know that such men 
 are accustomed to place the employment of such machinery 
 upon very different grounds: — They profess to use such mea- 
 sures because they judge them adapted to accomplish much 
 good — and not content with the privilege of thus thinking 
 and acting for themselves — though it be in direct opposition
 
 254 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 to the clearest dictates of experience — they not unfrequent- 
 ly represent those of their brethren who will neither employ 
 or connive at them, as being destitute of a revival spirit — as 
 cold and negligent in their master's service. It is high time, 
 therefore, in self-defence, to speak out what has long been 
 our private opinion, and to expose, what we believe to be, 
 in many gases, the real, though we would fain hope uncon- 
 scious, cause of the employment of such objectionable mea- 
 sures. — They are resorted to, in many instances, as substitutes 
 Jhr mental power, and clung to in desperation, as the only 
 means of keeping up a factitious interest. If any one wishes 
 to test the truth of these remarks, let him visit the churches of 
 such during the interval of their revivals, so called, and as- 
 certain what interest the people feel in their exhibitions of 
 divine truth, without the exciting accompaniments adverted 
 to. And let him ask himself the question — how long would 
 their audiences endure such preaching, without the hope of 
 being relieved by the visit of some evangelist, or the re-en- 
 actment of those stimulating scenes to which I have allud- 
 ed ! No marvel, then, that certain Methodistical measures 
 — measures originally resorted to by weak or ignorant men, 
 as their only chance for creating any interest in their minis- 
 trations — should be adopted by some others, not Methodists; 
 — they are in fact, their " capital stock in trade," with- 
 out which they would soon become bankrupt in reputation, 
 and be obliged to retire in disgrace as incompetent to in- 
 struct and interest an intelligent people. In order, however, 
 to guard against any misconstruction, I will add, that I am 
 far from being opposed to the occasional assistance of evan- 
 gelists, or other pastors, or to the occasional multiplication of 
 the divinely appointed means of grace. Such occasional 
 foreign aid is sometimes highly useful to a flock, supplied by 
 the most able and faithful of pastors — and such an occasional
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 255 
 
 increase of the usual number of religious services, is often 
 very profitable. My sole opposition is directed against the 
 use of certain Methodistical machinery — called among other 
 denominations "new measures" — which are, in my judg- 
 ment, productive only of spurious revivals or mere popular 
 excitements; awfully injurious, in their ultimate and perma- 
 nent effects, upon the Church of Christ, and deceptive and 
 ruinous to multitudes of immortal souls. — What these meas- 
 ures are — how they are applied — and what are their results, 
 will be shown, in the succeeding chapter, after I have given 
 the remaining extracts from " Practical Methodism." The 
 writer of those articles observes, 
 
 4. " But what is, perhaps, the greatest evil of Method- 
 ism, is yet to be named. I mean its effect in begetting im- 
 proper notions in regard to divine truth. The influence 
 which our views of divine truth exert on the heart and con- 
 science, is extensive and powerful. In regard to the pro- 
 duction of proper religious feeling, our views of truth are 
 every thing. When they are obscure and undefined, there 
 will be a corresponding confusion in our feelings; when ra- 
 tional and luminous, they impart warmth, vigour, and pro- 
 priety to every holy affection. In this view of the subject, 
 how deplorable the extension which is given to views and 
 notions, based on clouds, and borne up by vapours, which 
 vanish into thin air before the light of reason and scripture. 
 
 " Were it not that I resolved, at the commencement, to 
 exclude all doctrinal discussion from these papers, I could 
 easily elucidate what I mean, by a slight glance at some pe- 
 culiarly erroneous sentiments. I would refer to them, howev- 
 er, merely as to their practical tendency. Among the Meth- 
 odists there is very much religious irreverence, — arising, no 
 doubt, from their improper views of the character of God. 
 It is impossible to support their creed without derogating
 
 256 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 from some of the essential attributes of his nature. His 
 sovereignty, omniscience, foreknowledge and unchangeable- 
 ness, are by implication set aside; and having lost a just 
 view of his majesty, he can be approached with the less 
 reverence. Hence their boisterous and unmeaning prayers, 
 the great familiarity with which they treat the Most High, — 
 their crude notions on the subject of ' getting religion,' and 
 of sinless perfection. They suppose that religion can be 
 obtained and lost at any time — that it consists in a boister- 
 ous agitation of the passions — that other means than prayer 
 and the avoidance of temptation, are to be used in overcom- 
 ing the devil,* — and reverence and order in religious worship 
 are the characteristics of coldness and formality. So incor- 
 rect are their notions in regard to some truths, and so lax 
 and gross as it regards others, that where Methodism has 
 been to any extent prevalent, it is almost impossible to make 
 a proper impression upon the mind. You can do but little 
 else than look upon, and weep over the wild waste that is 
 widening around you. That there are individuals among 
 the Methodists, who utterly disapprove of many, or of all 
 the excesses, I have here mentioned, I freely and gladly ad- 
 mit; but that the specified errors and excesses do prevail 
 among them generally, as a sect, is what I know to be true. 
 5. " I will conclude this paper by saying a few words re- 
 specting the infiitence of Methodism wpon the world. By the 
 worlds I mean unsanctified sinners in general. Here I touch 
 upon a topic, where what I shall offer, may, I am aware, be 
 opposed by a great show of argument. Facts may be stat- 
 
 • " A man of my acquaintance, a few years since, cried oul, in an even- 
 ing meeting among the Methodists, ' brethren, 1 have got the devi], and 
 will not let him go till I kill him.' He continued fisting his satanic ma- 
 jesty against the wall, for half an hour, whilst the cries of ' amen,' and 
 ' glory to God,' were rising all around him."
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 257 
 
 ed "which will, to all appearance, prove every thing which I 
 say to be fallacious. We shall be told of the great zeal and 
 success of the circuit preachers — of the 450,000 members 
 collected together in the short space of 60 or 70 years, — of 
 the revivals which they have enjoyed — and of the influence 
 which they exert in promoting religion and virtue, and of 
 checking immorality and vice. I will readily concede the 
 truth of every modest statement that may be made on all 
 these subjects. I cheerfully admit that they are doing much, 
 very much, to advance the declarative glory of God, and to 
 save sinners. And yet I am fully impressed with the be- 
 lief that on the rational, thinking portion of the world, their 
 example and influence produce a very unhappy effect. 
 
 *' I will suppose a case for the purpose of illustration. A 
 man of intelligence is prompted by curiosity to attend one 
 of their boisterous ' camp-meetings.' He goes from camp 
 to camp, and from one praying circle to another. He hears 
 the fervid enthusiasm of the preachers, which acts upon the 
 mass, as a whirlwind upon the ocean. He sees some falling 
 into fits — others exhausted with shouting — others prostrate 
 on the earth, and crying out, ' it made no difference to them 
 whether they went to heaven head or heels foremost.'* With 
 what impressions respecting religion would he return from 
 this scene of anarchy and confusion ? Let any candid mind 
 answer the question. Such scenes are as little calculated to 
 honour the cause of religion as those exhibited by the Sty- 
 lites. Mystics, or Whippers. 
 
 " I will suppose another case. A man of intelligence 
 visits their prayer meetings. He hears twenty or thirty 
 praying at once, and the less fluent brethren and sisters 
 
 • " A scene actually witnessed at a camp-meeting, but a few miles from 
 my residence." 
 
 33
 
 258 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 shouting 'amen.' He hears one exclaim — 'I see the Sa- 
 viour: there he is;' and another, ' I see heaven open, and 
 God preparing to descend to us;' and another crying out, 
 'pray on, brothers and sisters, the blessing will soon 
 come.' He sees little else than irreverence before Him 
 who hath said, ' the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the 
 earth keep silence before him.' With what impressions re- 
 specting religion will he return from this meeting ? Let any- 
 impartial mind answer. If such scenes are not well calculated 
 to make the impression, that religion is only fitted for the vul- 
 gar; that it is all a matter of blind superstition; I know not 
 what scenes are. And these are the scenes actually exhibit- 
 ed in nearly every camp-meeting, and in many prayer-meet- 
 ings and love-feasts, from one extremity of the country to 
 the other. 
 
 " And the impressions which these scenes are calculated 
 to make are the very ones that are made. Where the ' Meth- 
 odist religion' has been for any time prevalent, unchecked by 
 the presence of other denominations, you find the talented 
 and influential members of society, generally in the opposi- 
 tion. They are opposed not only to the Methodists, but to 
 every thing in the form of godliness. The region in which 
 I live, bears a decided testimony to the truth of this fact. 
 Methodism was once dominant. It carried nearly every 
 thing before it; and now the intelligent and influential are 
 generally infidels, or something as bad; and are rarely ever 
 seen within the walls of a church. Methodism is at present 
 on the wane: the people are becoming wearied of it: and that 
 cold chill, which is the sure precurser of spiritual death, is 
 pervading the whole community. From the facts stated, I 
 conclude, that in many places where the Methodists are do- 
 ing much good, they are also doing much harm; often where 
 they are scattering some of the good seed of the word, they
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 259 
 
 are also sowing the bad seed of opposition and infidelity." 
 ~Ch. Ad., vol. IX., pp. 246—248. 
 
 To illustrate, still further, the amazing credulity and gross 
 fanaticism of Methodism, as well as to show the real nature 
 of many of their " conversions," and the true character of 
 much of their so called " Christian experience," I will make 
 a few extracts from the " Works of the Rev. John Wesley," 
 the founder of the sect. Only let it be remembered, that the 
 wonderful stories, &c., related by him, are religiously believ- 
 ed by thousands of his followers in this country, and that 
 similar visions, bodily agitations, &c., are still common 
 among them. The extracts are as follow: — 
 
 " Tues., January 1, 1751. — About this time I received a 
 remarkable letter; part of which ran as follows: — 
 
 **** " ' It was my custom to rise some hours before the 
 family, and spend that time in reading. One Sunday morn- 
 ing I was just going to open my Bible, when a voice (wheth- 
 er inward or outward, I cannot tell) seemed to say very loud, 
 
 * God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven thee.' I started up, 
 took the candle, and searched all about, to see if any one 
 was near; but there was none. I then sat down, with such 
 peace and joy in my soul as cannot be described. While I 
 was musing what it could mean, I heard it again, saying, 
 
 * go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee.' I trembled ex- 
 ceedingly, not with fear, but such an emotion as I cannot 
 express. Yet I got up the second time, and opened the 
 door, to see if it was any human voice. Soon after it was 
 repeated the third time, still louder; which drove me on my 
 knees to prayer, being overwhelmed with the love of God, 
 and, for the time, utterly incapable of doubt or fear. ' " — 
 Wesley^ s Works, vol. 111., p. 506. 
 
 The following samples were furnished by one of his cleri- 
 cal correspondents, and are introduced by him thus: — " I
 
 260 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 shall easily be excused for adding here, a further account of 
 the work of God in and near Everton: — 
 
 "'I discoursed also with Ann Thorn, who told me of 
 much heaviness following the visions with which she had 
 been favoured; but said she was at intervals visited still with 
 such overpowering love and joy, especially at the Lord's 
 supper, that she often lay in a trance for many hours. She 
 is twenty-one years old. We were soon after called into the 
 garden, where Patty Jenkins (one of the same age) was so 
 overwhelmed with the love of God, that she sunk down, and 
 appeared as one in a pleasant sleep, only with her eyes open; 
 yet she had often just strength to utter, with a low voice, 
 ejaculations of joy and praise; but no words coming up to 
 what she felt, she frequently laughed while she saw his glo- 
 ry. This is quite unintelligible to many; for a stranger in- 
 
 termeddleth not with our joy. So it was with Mr. M , 
 
 who doubted whether God or the Devil had filled her with 
 love and praise. O, the depth of human wisdom ! Mr. 
 
 R , the mean time, was filled with solemn awe. I no 
 
 sooner sat down by her, than the spirit of God poured the 
 same blessedness into my soul. Hers continued till the time 
 we were to set out for Cockin Hatley. Then her strength 
 was restored in a mom,ent, and we walked together, sixteen 
 in number, singing to the Lord as we went along. 
 
 " ' .Tune 6, 1759. — I spoke this morning at Orwell, on Isa. 
 55: 1. One who had been before convinced of sin, fell 
 down in a kind of fit, and broke out in great anguish of soul, 
 calling on the Lord Jesus for salvation. He wrought, as in 
 the agonies of death, and was quite bathed in sweat. He 
 beat the chair, against which he kneeled, as one whose soul 
 drew nigh unto hell. His countenance then cleared up at 
 once: we hoped he would be presently set at liberty; but on 
 a sudden he was more distressed than ever, being in the
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 261 
 
 sharpest conflict. Every muscle of his body was in strong 
 agitation, as if nature was just dissolving. I never saw any 
 convulsion fit so violent. But in a moment God dispelled 
 the cloud. His face was again covered with smiles, and he 
 spake as seeing the Lord near him. He cried unto him; and 
 the Lord hearing, pronounced him freely forgiven. At that 
 instant, he clapped his hands, and cried aloud, 'Jesus is 
 mine ! He is my Saviour !' His soul loas in peace; neither 
 did he find the least bodily pain or soreness. 
 
 "'This morning, Ann Simpson, aged sixteen or seven- 
 teen, lay near an hour in the utmost distress, shrieking out, 
 ' Christ! Christ!' and no other word; her face all the time 
 being violently distorted. I left her awhile, but could scarce 
 sit down before I heard the voice of praise. I went, and 
 found her heaviness turned into joy, even the joy ful assurance 
 that her sins were pardoned.**** I asked her, why she cried 
 out continually, ' Christ ! Christ !' She answered, ' I thought 
 myself at that time, on a little island, and saw Satan in a 
 hideous form, just ready to devour me, hell all round open to 
 receive me, and myself ready to drop in; while no help ap- 
 peared, nor any way to escape. But just as I was dropping 
 in, the Lord appeared between me and the great gulf, and 
 would not let me fall into it. As soon as 1 saw him, all my 
 trouble was gone, and all pain I felt before; and ever since, 
 I have been light and joyful, and filled with the love of 
 God.' 
 
 " ' Fri. 13. — Mr. R , as well as Mr. M , \vas in 
 
 doubt concerning the work of God here. But this morning 
 they were both fully convinced, while Alice Miller, the lit- 
 tle pale girl, justified May 20th, who is in the sixteenth, and 
 Molly Raymond, who is in the twelfth year of her age, relat- 
 ed their experience; their artless confidence confirming all 
 their words.
 
 262 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 " ' When sermon was ended, one brought good tidings to 
 Mr. B. from Grandchester, that God had there broken down 
 seventeen persons, last week, by the singing of hymns only; 
 and that a child, seven years old, sees many visions, and as- 
 tonishes the neighbours, with her innocent, awful manner of 
 declaring them. 
 
 " ' While Mr. B. preached in the church, I stood with 
 many in the church yard, to make room for those who come 
 from far; therefore, I saw little, but heard the agonizing of 
 many, panting and gasping after eternal life. In the after- 
 noon, Mr. B. was constrained, by the multitude of people, to 
 come out of the church, and preach in his own close. Some 
 of those who were here pricked to the heart, were affected in 
 an astonishing manner. The first man I saw wounded, 
 would have dropped, but others catching him in their arms, 
 did, indeed, prop him up, but were so far from keeping him 
 still, that he caused all of them to totter and tremble. His 
 own shaking exceeded that of a cloth in the wind. It seem- 
 ed as if the Lord came upon him like a giant, taking him 
 by the neck, and shaking all his bones in pieces. One wo- 
 man tore up the ground with her hands, filling them with 
 dust and with the hard trodden grass, on which I saw her 
 lie, with her hands clenched, as one dead, when the multi- 
 tude dispersed. Another roared and screamed in a more 
 dreadful agony than ever I heard before. I omitted the re- 
 joicing of believers, because of their number and the fre- 
 quency thereof, though the manner was strange; some of 
 them being quite overpowered with divine love, and only 
 showing enough of natural life to let us know they were 
 overwhelmed with joy and life eternal. Some continued 
 long as if they were dead, but with a calm sweetness in 
 their looks. I saw one who lay two or three hours in the 
 open air, and being then carried into the house, continued
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 263 
 
 insensible another hour, as if actually dead. The first sign 
 of life she showed was arapture of praise, intermixed with a 
 small joyous laughter. 
 
 " ' Wed. 18. — We called at the house, where Mr. B. had 
 been preaching in the morning, and found several there re- 
 joicing in God, and several mourning after him. While I 
 prayed with them, many crowded into the house, some of 
 whom burst into a strange, involuntary laughter, so that my 
 voice could scarce be heard; and when I strove to speak 
 louder, a sudden hoarseness seized me. Then the laughter 
 increased. I perceived it was Satan, and resolved to pray 
 on. Immediately the Lord rebuked him, that laughter was 
 at an end, and so was my hoarseness. 
 
 " ' Thurs. 19. — Mr. J. gs was a mild, good natured 
 
 Pharisee, who had never been awakened: but he was now tho- 
 roughly convinced of his lost estate, and stood for a time in 
 utter despair, with his mouth wide open, his eyes staring, 
 and full of huge dismay. When he found power to speak, 
 he cried out, ' I thought I had led a good life; I thought I was 
 not so bad as others; but I am the vilest creature upon earth; 
 I am dropping into hell ! JVow, noio; this very moment P 
 He then saw hell open to receive him, and Satan ready to 
 cast him in; but it was not long before he saw the Lord Jesus, 
 and knew he had accepted him. He then cried aloud, in an 
 unspeakable rapture, ' I have got Christ ! I have got Christ !' 
 For two hours he was in the visions of God ; then the 
 joy, though not the peace, abated.' " — lb., vol. IV., pp. 
 35—39. 
 
 The foregoing are fair samples of many similar narratives 
 with which his journal abounds. If my limits allowed, I 
 would transcribe a few choice specimens of the apparition 
 or ghost stories, which he also relates with the utmost gravi- 
 ty: — one of which he introduces with the expression of his
 
 264 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 entire belief in the reality of witches, as well as ghosts, and 
 accompanies with the most ludicrous annotations ! — See his 
 Works, vol. IV., pp. 159—161. 279—286. 
 
 I will only add the following, as illustrative of his own 
 experience: — 
 
 " Fri. 9. — I was a little surprised at some, who were buf- 
 feted of Satan in an unusual manner, by such a spirit of 
 laughter, as they could in no wise resist, though it was pain 
 and grief unto them. I could scarce have believed the ac- 
 count they gave me, had I not known the same thing ten or 
 eleven years ago. Part of Sunday, my brother and I, then 
 used to spend in walking in the meadows, and singing 
 psalms. But one day, just as we were beginning to sing, he 
 burst out into a loud laughter. I asked him, if he was dis- 
 tracted; and began to be very angry, and presently after to 
 laugh as loud as he. Nor could we possibly refrain, though 
 we were ready to tear ourselves in pieces, but we were forced 
 to go home without singing another line." — 16., vol. III., 
 p. 183. 
 
 Now, what confidence can be placed, by any intelligent 
 and experienced Christian, in conversions and religious joys, 
 founded upon dreams and visions, and " kind of Jits !" Can 
 any rational and truly pious man read such accounts, without 
 shuddering at the awful consequences of such gross fanati- 
 cism and delusion ? 
 
 There appears to have been considerable uncertainty and 
 confusion in the mind of Mr. Wesley himself, in regard to 
 many of these strange occurrences — and no little inconsist- 
 ency in his manner of speaking of them at different times 
 and on different occasions. He speaks of them, as partly 
 natural, and partly supernatural — and ascribes them, some- 
 times to the agency of the Devil, and at other times, to the 
 power of God.
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 265 
 
 On some occasions — smarting under the satirical expo- 
 sures of his opponents — he almost repudiates them with in- 
 dignation ! — In reply to one of them, he says: — " Are you 
 not convinced, sir, that you have laid to my charge, things 
 which I know not ? I do not gravely tell you (as much an 
 enthusiast as you over and over affirm me to be) that I sen- 
 sibly feel (in your sense) the motions of the Holy Spirit. 
 Much less do I make this, any more than ' convulsions, ago- 
 nies, bowlings, roarings, and violent contortions of the bo- 
 dy,' either ' certain signs of men's being in a state of sal- 
 vation,' or ' necessary in order thereunto.' You might with 
 equal justice and truth inform the world, and the worshipful, 
 the magistrates of Newcastle, that I make seeing the wind, 
 ov feeling the light, necessary to salvation." — i6., vol. F., 
 p. 57. 
 
 Yea, on some occasions, he appears to have been himself 
 impressed with the necessity of checking this spirit of en- 
 thusiasm and fanaticism among his followers — and it would 
 be well if these warnings, uttered during his more lucid and 
 sober moments, were now heeded by multitudes who profess 
 to revere his authority: — 
 
 " It is chiefly among these enormous mountains that so 
 many have been awakened, justified, and soon after perfect- 
 ed in love; but even while they are full of love, Satan strives 
 to push many of them to extravagance. This appears in seve- 
 ral instances: — 1. Frequently three or four, yea, ten or twelve, 
 pray aloud all together. 2. Some of them, perhaps many, 
 scream all together, as loud as they possibly can. 3. Some 
 of them use improper, yea, indecent expressions in prayer, 
 4. Several drop down as dead, and are as stiff as a corpse; 
 but in a while they start up, and cry, 'Glory ! glory !' per- 
 haps twenty times together. Just so do the French pro- 
 phets, and very lately the Jumpers in Wales, bring t'le real 
 34
 
 266 
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 work into contempt. Yet, whenever we reprove them, it 
 should be in the most mild and gentle manner possible."— 
 lb., vol. IV., p. 631. 
 
 "Perhaps some may be afraid, lest the refraining from 
 these warm expressions, or even gently checking them, 
 should check the fervour of our devotion. It is very possi- 
 ble it may check, or even prevent, some kind of fervour, 
 which has passed for devotion. Possibly it may prevent loud 
 shouting, horrid, unnatural screaming, repeating the same 
 w^ords twenty or thirty times, jumping two or three feet high, 
 and throwing about the arms or legs, both of men and wo- 
 men, in a manner shocking, not only to religion, but to 
 common decency: — But it will never check, much less pre- 
 vent, true, scriptural devotion." — 16., vol. 11., p. 444. 
 
 Indeed, when he noticed or heard of these bodily agita- 
 tions, &c. in others — not of his own persuasion — or produced 
 by them on any of his own followers, Mr. Wesley's under- 
 standing appears to have been remarkably " penetrating," 
 and his judgment very decided ! Take the following exam- 
 ples: — 
 
 "Mr. Evans now gave me an account from his own 
 knowledge, of what has made a great noise in Wales: — ' It 
 is common in the congregations attended by Mr. W. W., and 
 one or two other clergymen, after the preaching is over, for 
 any one that has a mind, to give out a verse of a hymn. 
 This they [sing over and over with all their might, perhaps 
 above thirty, yea, forty times. Meanwhile, the bodies of 
 two or three, sometimes ten or twelve, are violently agitat- 
 ed; and they leap up and down, in all manner of postures, 
 frequently for hours together.' I ihink,^' says Wesley, 
 " there 7ieeds no great penetration to understand this. They 
 are honest, upright men, w^ho really feel the love of God in 
 their hearts. But they have little experience, either of the
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISJI. 267 
 
 ways of God, or the devices of Satan. So he" (the Devil) 
 " serves himself of their simplicity, in order to wear them 
 out, and to bring a discredit on the work of God." — 76., 
 vol. IV., p. 157. 
 
 " Sun. 28. — I went, (having been long importuned there- 
 to,) about five in the evening, with four or five of my friends, 
 to a house where was one of those commonly called French 
 prophets. After a time, she came in. She seemed about 
 four or five and twenty, of an agreeable speech and be- 
 haviour. She asked, why we came. I said, 'to try the spir- 
 its, whether they be of God.' Presently after she leaned 
 back in her chair, and seemed to have strong workings in 
 her breast, with deep sighings intermixed. Her head and 
 hands, and, by turns, every part of her body, seemed also 
 to be in a kind of convulsive motion. This continued 
 about ten minutes, till, at six, she began to speak, (though 
 the workings, sighings, and contortions of her body were so 
 intermixed with her words, that she seldom spoke half a 
 sentence together,) with a clear, strong voice, ' Father, thy 
 will, thy will be done. Thus saith the Lord, if of any of 
 you that is a father, his child ask bread, will he give him a 
 stone ? If he ask a fish, will he give him a scorpion ? Ask 
 bread of me, my children, and I will give you bread, I will 
 not, will not give you a scorpion. By this, judge of what 
 ye shall now hear.' 
 
 " She spoke much (all as in the person of God, and most- 
 ly in scripture words) of the fulfilling of the prophecies, the 
 coming of Christ now at hand, and the spreading of the gos- 
 pel over all the earth. Then she exhorted us not to be in haste 
 in judging her spirit, to be or not to be of God; but to wait 
 upon God, and he would teach us, if we conferred not with 
 flesh and blood. She added, with many enforcements, that we 
 must watch and pray, and take up our cross, and be still be-
 
 268 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 fore God. Two or three of our company were much affect- 
 ed, and believed she spoke by the spirit of God. But this 
 was in no wise clear to me. The motion might he either hys- 
 terical or artificial. And the same words, any person of a 
 good understanding and well versed in the scriptures, might 
 have spoken. But I let the matter alone; knowing this, that 
 ' if it be not of God, it will come to nought.' " — lb., vol. 
 III., p. 119. [Yes, fanaticism and superstition will event- 
 ually come to nought — but like Idolatry, Mohamedanism, 
 and Popery, they may become very prevalent, and last a 
 good while ! ] 
 
 But as soon as Mr. Wesley found that some of his own 
 followers were becoming the disciples of these French pro- 
 phets, why, then, no confidence was to be placed in dreams, 
 visions, agitations, &c. — for these, it would seem, w^ere only 
 to be regarded as evidences of the power and approbation of 
 God, when they occurred in connection with his ministry, or 
 that of his co-adjutors ! — 
 
 " Fri. 22. — I called on one who ' did run well,' till he was 
 hindered by some of those called French prophets. ' Wo 
 unto the prophets, saith the Lord, who prophecy in my 
 name, and I have not sent them.' At Weaver's Hall, I en- 
 deavoured to point them out; and earnestly exhorted all that 
 followed after holiness, to avoid, as fire, all who do not speak 
 according ' to the law and testimony.' " [Thus letting the 
 matter alone; knowing this, that " if it be not of God, it 
 will come to nought ! !"] 
 
 " In the afternoon," he continues, " I preached at the 
 Fish Ponds: but had no life or spirit in me; and was much 
 in doubt, whether God would not lay me aside, and send 
 other labourers into his harvest. I came to the society full 
 of this thought; and began, in much weakness, to explain, 
 ' Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, wheth-
 
 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 269 
 
 er they be of God.' I told them, they were not to judge of 
 the spirit whereby any one spoke, either by appearances, or 
 by common report, or by their own inward feelings: no^ nor 
 by any dreams, visions, or revelations, supposed to be made to 
 their souls; any more than by their tears, or any involuntary 
 effects wrought upon their bodies. I warned them, all these 
 were, in themselves, of a doubtful, disputable nature; they 
 might be from God, and they might not; and were therefore 
 not simply to be relied on, (any more than simply to be con- 
 demned,) but to be tried by a further rule, to be brought to 
 the only certain test, the law and the testimony. ^^ — lb., vol. 
 III., p. 141. 
 
 No marvel, that among a people, given to such fanaticism, 
 there should have been as much want of religious knowledge 
 and consistency of Christian character, as Mr. Wesley him- 
 self, on some occasions, acknowledges: — 
 
 " Mon. 22. — The more I converse with this people," (the 
 society at Limerick,) " the more I am amazed. That God 
 hath wrought a great work among them is manifest; and yet 
 the main of them, believers and unbelievers, are not able to 
 give a rational account of the plainest principles of religion. 
 It is plain, God begins his work at the heart; then ^ the in- 
 spiration of the Highest giveth understanding.' " — lb., vol. 
 
 in.,p. 451. 
 
 And in the Minutes of one of his Conferences, he thus 
 writes of the denomination in general: — 
 
 *' The world say, ' the Methodists are no better than other 
 people.' This is not true. But it is nearer the truth than 
 we are willing to beheve. 
 
 " N. B. For (1.) personal religion either toward God or 
 man, is amazingly superficial among us. 
 
 " I can but just touch on a few generals. How little faith 
 is there among us ! How little communion with God !
 
 270 PRACTICAL METHODISM. 
 
 How little living in heaven, walking in eternity, deadness to 
 every creature ! How much love of the world; desire of 
 pleasure, of ease, of getting money ! How little brotherly 
 love ! What continual judging one another ! What gos- 
 siping, evil speaking, tale bearing ! What want of moral 
 HONESTY ! To instance only in one or two particulars: who 
 does as he would be done by, in buying and selling, particu- 
 larly in selling horses ! Write him a knave that does not. 
 And the Methodist knave is the worst of all knaves. 
 
 " (2.) Family religion is shamefully wanting, and almost 
 in every branch. 
 
 "And the Methodists in general will be little the better, till 
 we take quite another course with them. For what avails 
 public preaching alone, though we could preach like angels ? 
 We must, yea, every travelling preacher must, instruct them 
 from house to house. Till this is done, and that in good 
 earnest, the Methodists will be little better than other peo- 
 ple. Our religion is not deep, universal, uniform; 
 
 BUT SUPERFICIAL, PARTIAL, UNEVEN." lb., Vol. F., p. 213. 
 
 Before I conclude what I have to say on the subject of 
 Episcopal Methodism, I will add a chapter on the subject of 
 modern revivals and revival measures.
 
 CBAFTEB. VIZ. 
 
 NEW MEASURES FOR PROMOTING REVIVALS 
 OF RELIGION. 
 
 Extracts from an able article in the Princeton Repertory on the moral 
 machinery or new measures of certain modern " revivalists," so called, 
 in which the true character of such excitements, and the means by which 
 they are manufactured, are exposed. — Letters of the Rev. Drs. Alexander 
 and Miller, Professors in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, on the 
 subject of revivals and revival measures. — The great importance of gen- 
 uine revivals of religion, and the necessity of greater diligence, on the 
 part of orthodox Christians, in the use of God's appointed means, for 
 their promotion. 
 
 The following copious extracts are from an article in the 
 "Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review," January No., 
 1842: — a quarterly periodical, edited by an association of 
 gentlemen, consisting of a number of the able, learned and 
 pious Professors in the Theological and Literary Institutions 
 in Princeton, whose praise is in all the churches. The ar- 
 ticle was written, not with direct reference to the Method- 
 ists, but in opposition to those " New School Presbyterians," 
 &c., who had adopted and employed Methodistical " ma- 
 chinery" for the promotion of revivals of religion — or, as 
 they are termed among Presbyterians, " new measures." I 
 present these extracts for the instruction and admonition of 
 Presbyterians especially: — and coming from such a source, 
 they are entitled to, and will no doubt receive, the highest 
 consideration. In confirmation of some of the statements 
 contained in the Review, I have appended several notes,
 
 272 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 which may not be unworthy of the attention and re/lection 
 of the reader. 
 
 After exposing the real character of the Arminian and 
 Semi-Pelagian doctrines with which the *' new measures" 
 are usually associated, and from which they naturally flow, 
 the reviewer proceeds as follows: — 
 
 "Now, with these views of regeneration and conversion, 
 let us suppose a minister, or, what is more common, one of 
 those expert and practiced itinerant tactitians, who claim to 
 be revival preachers eminentery to undertake the kindling of 
 a religious excitement in a congregation or community — 
 what course will he naturally pursue ? All experience shows 
 that the following become integral and inseparable parts of 
 the ' moral machinery' put in requisition to achieve the de- 
 sired result. 
 
 " First, a peculiar strain and style of preaching. One 
 main object of the preaching will be to foster in the minds 
 of the hearers, a practical unbelief of all those doctrines of 
 grace which imply that true religion cannot exist in the soul, 
 unless produced by a direct operation of the Holy Ghost. 
 This, as we have already seen, accords with Mr. Finney's 
 prescription for promoting revivals. For this purpose, the 
 doctrines of election, inability, regeneration, are sometimes 
 kept utterly out of view; sometimes explained away; some- 
 times obscured and mystified; sometimes coarsely misrepre- 
 sented, caricatured and maligned; sometimes openly and di- 
 rectly denied. Having cleared away all obstacles to ' imme- 
 diate action,' by making religion a mere act or resolution of 
 the creature, a second great object is so to operate upon 
 ' self love,' that it shall prompt to an immediate and decisive 
 resolution. To this end the everlasting woes of the wick- 
 ed, and joys of the righteous, are vividly and abundantly 
 pourtrayed, and this is a part of the counsel of God which
 
 NEW MEASURES. 273 
 
 revival preachers can no way be accused of shunning faith- 
 fully to declare. In connection with this, invention is tor- 
 tured for arguments, and memory for anecdotes, to inspire 
 the belief, that if any do not escape hell during the present 
 excitement, or perhaps the present day or hour, they never 
 will. For the purpose of compassing these objects more ef- 
 fectually, every effort is made to spice the preaching with 
 anecdotes and illustrations, often of the most strange, crude, 
 motley description. We recollect once to have heard a ser- 
 mon by a ' revival preacher,' which consisted wholly of three 
 anecdotes. By this means they present a powerful induce- 
 ment to all that class of persons who are seeking pastime 
 and recreation, to come to their meetings, since there are 
 few who are not fascinated with a good story well told; and 
 hence it is said, that this sort of preaching competes with 
 the theatre in its attractions for a numerous class. Besides, 
 there is something peculiarly grateful and bewitching to the 
 more coarse and profligate sort of wicked men, in seeing the 
 pulpit, which in their minds, has ever been associated with 
 a purity, sanctity and solemnity that they cannot endure, de- 
 graded into a stage for reciting droll and vulgar stories and 
 grotesque images and comparisons. And especially if these 
 are plied for the abuse, ridicule, or disparagement of those 
 ministers and Christians who do not bow the knee to the re- 
 vivalist, or of the ordinary teachers and professors of reli- 
 gion, whom these persons have ever hated, they enjoy a still 
 richer ' feast of reason and flow of soul.' This is not the 
 only advantage. Such anecdotes and illustrations serve the 
 double purpose of giving plausibility to any notion, however 
 absurd, which the preacher may wish to inculcate, and of 
 lowering all that is spiritual and supernatural in religion to 
 the standard of things purely natural, civil or moral, i. e. to 
 the capacity and tastes of the carnal and "worldly mind, 
 35
 
 274 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 which is void of the renewing and illumination of the Holy 
 Ghost.*** We have heard the wonderful skill of a noted 
 revivalist illustrated by one of his admirers, thus: He was 
 vindicating the necessity of protracted meetings, and for this 
 purpose employed the following illustration: 'If we kindle a 
 single fire under a kettle it will warm the water somewhat, 
 but will not raise it to a boiling heat. And if we wait till 
 the water becomes cold before we again put fire under it, we 
 may repeat the experiment endlessly without making it boil. 
 The fire must therefore be kept a-going without interrup- 
 tion, till ihe result sought is attained. So with preaching. 
 If it occur only on the sabbath, the eflfect dies away during 
 the week. It must be therefore repeated without cessation, 
 in order to accomplish any thing.' This supposes that reli- 
 gion is a mere working up of the natural susceptibilites by 
 the efficacy of persuasion, instead of a product of the divine 
 power attending the preaching of the word. Otherwise it 
 is unmeaning. Yet it is plausible with unreflecting minds. 
 These are fair specimens of the anecdotes and illustrations 
 used by this class of preachers. And although there is a 
 legitimate use of anecdotes and illustrations, when conscien- 
 tiously and judiciously employed by experimental and spir- 
 itually enlightened preachers, yet we insist that the free use 
 of such as are commonly employed by the class of preachers 
 under review, is obnoxious to all the charges we have laid 
 against them. 
 
 "An itinerant revivalist makes his first ew^ree into a place, 
 with the advantage of a certain sort of celebrity, as a preach- 
 er of prodigious power and unparalleled interest, and a 
 worker of wonders in the way of producing revivals. He 
 is often sent for, under the idea that his advent will certain- 
 ly bring with it a revival, and his fame is trumpeted before 
 him on the wings of the wind. By means of this, and the
 
 NEW MEASURES. 275 
 
 free application of the style of preaching we have described, 
 day after day, and night after night, a crowd is soon gather- 
 ed to witness this strange thing, and see whereunto it will 
 come. Unless these means have already become stale, and 
 bereft of the charm of novelty and freshness, by frequent 
 repetition, unless they have thus exhausted the excitability 
 and curiosity of the people, or unless their true nature and 
 tendency have come to be generally understood, or there are 
 other unpropitious circumstances, they will rally all sorts of 
 people to witness the spectacle, whether they approve or 
 disapprove it. And now the preacher is pretty sure to an- 
 nounce that a ' shaking' is about to occur under his labours, 
 such as passes all former example, and points to the sensa- 
 tion already made, the crowds of people rushing to hear 
 him, as premonitory symptoms of what will be witnessed by 
 those who shall be on the ground a few weeks hence. 
 Moreover, he teaches the praying people, that if they will of- 
 fer the 'prayer of faith,' they can procure whatever conver- 
 sions, and as much of a revival, as they ask. Thus the in- 
 dications of a revival are made at once to appear. And now 
 the great labour is to accumulate all excitements from heav- 
 en, earth, and hell, that urge an immediate taking of the great 
 resolve, which is deemed equivalent to passing from death to 
 life, and here is tested whatever virtue there is in efforts de- 
 scriptive and histrionic, to make the auditory see themselves 
 in the grasp of death, or standing before the judgment seat 
 of Christ, or hear the sentence of the judge, or inhale the 
 sulphureous fumes of the pit, or the balmy fragrance of the 
 paradise above, to hear the frantic shrieks of the damned, or 
 catch the transporting melodies of heaven, and thus to make 
 the present seem the last moment in which the lake of fire 
 can be exchanged for immortal bliss, and in this w^ay to im- 
 pel to that resolution to serve the Lord, which is made one
 
 276 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 with spiritual regeneration. That the truths thus brought to 
 view are most necessary to be enforced powerfully, and felt 
 vividly, especially in a religious revival, we know full well. 
 But then they must be unfolded in their proper places and 
 proportions, according to the analogy of faith. And unless 
 properly accompanied with other evangelical truths, they be- 
 come incentives to spurious conversions and false hopes, in- 
 stead of that faith which works by love, and purifies the heart. 
 But this process alone is found ordinarily not to be suffici- 
 ently stimulating; hence, in order to hasten and develops 
 the work still more palpably, certain measures, as they have 
 been styled, are usually introduced at a favourable crisis.* 
 
 *I can corrobDrate the inefficiency of the preaching of such " revival- 
 ists," without the use of their peculiar " measuies," by an experiment 
 which I tried some years ago. There had been in my church, at the lime 
 alluded to, a very interesting state of religious feeling. I had been preach- 
 ing for three or four evenings every week for several months in suc- 
 cession. The meetings were unusually solemn, and a considerable num- 
 ber had been hopefully converted to God. Iq this stale of things, several 
 of the members of the church suggested the expediency of inviiing a certain 
 " revival preacher," who, at that period, was producing great excitements 
 in different parts of the country. Upon reflection, 1 determined to try the 
 experiment, provided I could obtain his assistance without the introduction 
 of his new measures. I had seen enough, in my native city, of the fruits 
 of such machinery, and witnessed enough of the ultimate results of such 
 measures, in the field of my present labours; and was, therefore, from 
 the very outset of my ministry, determined never to employ them or 
 countenance their use by others. I accordingly wrote to the revivalist — 
 explaining to him my views, and inviting him to come and labour with 
 me, if he could dispense with his objectionable apparatus. He replied that 
 he would come with pleasure — that while he thought that, under some cir- 
 cumstances, such measures were useful, they were not always desirable, 
 much less indispensably necessary — that for himself, he depended mainly 
 upon the blessing of God on the preaching of the Gospel — and that, if he 
 came, he would not think of introducing any measure in opposition to 
 my judgment, &c. Well, he came; and, at his suggestion, another broth- 
 er to co-operate with him. They preached alternately for neatly a week,
 
 N£\V MEASURES. 277 
 
 They have reference to that well understood principle of 
 human nature, which is ashamed to renounce any course to 
 which it is publicly committed, and on this they chiefly de- 
 pend for the efficacy. 
 
 " One measure commonly resorted to at an early stage of 
 these proceedings is, a call upon all persons in the assem- 
 bly who are determined or disposed to come out on the 
 Lord's side, or to flee from destruction, or seek heaven, 
 to indicate it by rising, and all who are of a contrary mind, 
 to indicate it by keeping their seats. In this case, if those 
 who are really determined to serve the Lord, respond to the 
 call, it is quite certain, that most of those who are not, will 
 join them. When men of the world are unexpectedly sur- 
 
 and held social meetings for prayer. But their preaching produced no 
 good effect; and the religious feeling existing in the congregation at the 
 time they commenced their labours, daily and rapidly diminished. Of this 
 they appeared to be themselves convinced — for, after labouring a day or 
 two, the chief "revivalist" began privately to intimate, that nothing could 
 be done, unless some measure was resorted to for the purpose of bringing 
 sinners to a decision, &c. I reminded him of his previous pledge; and told 
 him positively that no novel measure should be employed. He seemed to 
 be still dissatisfied; when I told him that, if he was not willing to continue 
 to preach andpray, without the use of new measures,! would publicly state 
 all the facts to the people, and put an end at once to the protracted meet- 
 ing. He looked.at.me as if doubting whether I meant what I had said, 
 when I again repeated the same words, and assured him that I was never 
 more decided in my life. He then dropped the subject, and the services 
 went on — the preaching becoming in fact every day more flat and sopo- 
 rific. This experiment convinced me that the "revival preachers" are 
 powerless without their usual machinery — that the popular excitements 
 which they produce, are effected by their peculiar apparatus, and not by 
 the blessing of God upon their exhibitions of divine truth. The experi- 
 ment was not without this advantage — that no such " revivalists" have 
 since been desired by any of the members of my flock; — but it was, alas ! 
 too expensive, inasmuch, as I have every reason to believe, that the work 
 of God, which had been progressing for months, was by it materially 
 checked and injured.
 
 278 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 prised into a dilemma, one horn of which is to go along with 
 a bewildered and excited concourse of people, and the other 
 to be set down in the black list, as sinners of extraordi- 
 nary hardihood and desperation, very few have nerve and 
 courage enough to choose the latter. We consider this pro- 
 cedure no better than a trap to ensnare men into insincere, 
 or, in the best view, inconsiderate professions. We know 
 it has been resorted to for the promotion of many worthy 
 objects, in a manner, however, which involves less of the 
 nature and sanctity of a vow to the Lord than in this case, 
 with the design of extorting professions and pledges in their 
 behalf, from persons who never expected to make them. 
 But in the end, this trick, like all other tricks, cannot fail to 
 re-act disastrously upon any good cause which adopts it. 
 In the case of thus publicly calling on men to disclose their 
 religious character, their pride is appealed to virtually, first 
 to induce them to profess themselves religious, and then to 
 induce them to preserve at least an outward and seeming 
 conformity to the professions to which they have thus been 
 ensnared to commit themselves. Indeed, we have heard an 
 enthusiastic defender of a celebrated revivalist, who is now 
 in the full tide of successful experiment, allege the influence 
 of pride in holding men to professions already made, as the 
 great reason and justification of all his manifold artifices 
 to get men publicly committed to become pious. Moreover, 
 in most cases, the preacher will largely expatiate upon the 
 importance and necessity of taking a stand before men, by 
 means of this and certain other measures, which we shall 
 presently notice, as being the grand and decisive step on 
 which their conversion depends. When this is done, no 
 matter how many salvos the preacher throws in to clear him- 
 self from the charge of teaching the obvious delusion, that 
 such a step is scriptural regeneration, the anxious hearer,
 
 NEW MEASURES. 279 
 
 ready to catch at a straw, infallibly understands that this step 
 is either identical with, or evidential of, or certainly antece- 
 dent to, true conversion; and that if taken with a desire of 
 getting religion, it is one of the things that accompany salva- 
 tion. And when a large concourse have thus publicly com- 
 mittfcd themselves to be religious, the news spreads far and 
 wide, that a great religious awakening or revival is in pro- 
 gress in under the labours of the Rev. Mr. . 
 
 " In order to perfect this public commitment, recourse is 
 usually had to another series of expedients. Certain seats, 
 rooms, or other localities, are allotted to persons in various 
 conditions of mind. Some have a miscalled altar, to which 
 all persons who wish conversion must come to be prayed for. 
 Others set off a certain number of seats, usually those near- 
 est the pulpit, which they style 'anxious seats,' which an- 
 swer the purpose of the altar already mentioned. To these 
 are often added ' decision seats,' ' hoping seats,' &c. &c. 
 Instead of seats, sometimes a particular room is used, styled 
 the ' anxious' or ' inquiry' room; and another styled the 
 ' young convert's' room. Or some other expedient is adopt- 
 ed answering the same purpose. And now all the influen- 
 ces already adverted to, and every other device which can 
 reach the human sensibilities, are put in motion to induce 
 sinners to come to the anxious seat, room or altar. They 
 are made practically to believe that their salvation is staked 
 upon it. Of course, if there is any excitement, great num- 
 bers rush to this hallowed point of entrance into the king- 
 dom of God. Here they soon learn that the new birth is an 
 act of their own sovereign power of willing, in which they 
 choose God instead of the world, or determine to serve him, 
 or come out on his side, or give themselves to him — an act 
 to which they are at this moment, as at all times, every way 
 competent. This is usually followed by what is sometimes
 
 280 NEW MEASURES, 
 
 called the ' dedicatory' prayer — a prayer in which the speak- 
 er calls on his hearers to unite with him in giving themselves 
 to God, and uses expressions in accordance with his previ- 
 ous instructions. And in the emphatic phrase of Mr. Fin- 
 ney, large numbers ' in the space of a few minutes come 
 right out on the Lord's side;' ripe for the decision seats, or 
 hoping seats, or young convert's room, or any other place to 
 which they may be allotted. It is very common, in order to 
 rally greater numbers around the anxious seats, for leaders 
 in the work, sometimes the preacher himself, to go around 
 the house and address individuals singly, urging them to the 
 anxious seat or altar, and in order more effectually to awe 
 and startle them, they often pray for them aloud by name. 
 This is done in many cases, while others are publicly pray- 
 ing or exhorting. In order still further to perfect the com- 
 mitment, it is usually insisted on as a capital point, that 
 young converts should rise and state their feelings and pur- 
 poses, and otherwise exhort and pray in the meetings. This 
 heightens the startling effect of the rest of the proceedings, 
 and ministers fresh food to restless curiosity and love of ex- 
 citement in the assembling and gazing crowds. When the 
 proceedings reach this pass, whatever of decorum, sobriety 
 and rationality may have attended the beginning of the ex- 
 citement, are usually supplanted by phrenzied and tumul- 
 tuous excitement, and ' confusion worse confounded' takes 
 the place of the solemn order and decency that befit the 
 house of God. 
 
 " That by this course of procedure, going to the anx- 
 ious seat or altar becomes the great matter in conversion, in 
 the view of those w^ho goto it, admits, we think, of no dis- 
 pute. We know that these preachers try to evade the re- 
 sponsibility of inculcating a sentiment so self-evidently ab- 
 surd and pernicious, by taking care to say that this step
 
 NEW MEASURES. 281 
 
 has no intrinsic virtue or efficacy in it; and that, in itself 
 considered, praying and preaching may be as salutary 
 to an individual in one part of a church as another: but 
 then they are ever careful to add, that there is a something 
 in some way connected with or consequent upon taking the 
 anxious seat, which makes it almost if not altogether the 
 turning point of their salvation or perdition. And what mat- 
 ters it, as to the real importance and efficacy of the anxious 
 seat, whether it cause conversion per se, or by means of its 
 necessary adjuncts and consequences. They often say that 
 * the seat is indeed nothing in itself, but going to it 
 serves to break down pride, and is taking the cross, with- 
 out which men cannot be saved.' But are not bearing the 
 cross, and breaking down pride, things which accompany 
 salvation, and is not that which produces these things the 
 cause of conversion ? How then do these evasions help the 
 case .'' Does not the anxious seat stand in the sinner's mind 
 after all as the great point of transition into the kingdom of 
 God ? Can it be otherwise, if a few stories are told as they 
 always are, showing how persons who have refused to come 
 up to the altar or anxious seat have been kept out of the 
 hope and peace of the gospel, until they yielded the point, 
 and on repairing to it, immediately had joy and peace in be- 
 lieving? 
 
 " Besides, it is a fixed principle, that wherever uncom- 
 manded outward rites and observances are conceived to have 
 an important agency in procuring the divine favour, there 
 they overshadow, or rather supplant, in the practical estima- 
 tion of men, the real righteousness which God requires. We 
 believe this to be an unvarying fact. The same is true of 
 rites having a scriptural warrant, if they are invested with an 
 importance and efficacy which the Bible does not attach to 
 them. Those who made so much of tithing mint, anise and 
 36
 
 282 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 cumin, neglected the weightier matters of the law, judg- 
 ment, mercy and faith. This is the essence of formalism 
 and hypocrisy, and has been the vice of the sacramental 
 party in the church in all ages. No doctrine is so sweet and 
 exhilarating to the unregenerate heart as the idea that some 
 external ceremony propitiates the favour of God. It is eager- 
 ly grasped as a substitute for the spiritual conformity of the 
 heart to the divine law, and for the prostration of all person- 
 al pride and self-complacency, in order to be justified exclu- 
 sively by the merits of Christ. Hence, in some form, it has 
 been the characteristic ingredient of every form of heathen 
 superstition and spurious Christianity. Where uncommand- 
 ed rites especially are exalted, so as to be deemed influential 
 in procuring the divine favour, they at once usurp the place 
 which belongs to the true objects of spiritual worship, and 
 are regarded with downright superstition. The invocation 
 of saints, the worship of the virgin, the bodily penances and 
 asceticism, and all the rites of the Romish Church confirm 
 and illustrate this remark. Who does not know that the 
 anxious seat, room or altar, is extensively regarded with a 
 similar superstition by those who subject themselves to their 
 exorcisms ? As to the caveats^ which warn the people not 
 to regard them as having an inherent, but only an attendant 
 or consequential efficacy, who does not know that every Rom- 
 ish rite is enveloped by its advocates in a mist of sophistry 
 far more subtle and attenuated than this ? But what do such 
 minute distinctions avail with the bewildered mass on whom 
 these rites are imposed?**** 
 
 " That imder this lashing process, immense numbers 
 should be spurred to form and publicly indicate their deter- 
 mination to serve the Lord, and that the number of such 
 converts may be equal to that blazoned in the printed ac- 
 counts of these excitements, is by no means improbable.
 
 NEW MEASURES. 283 
 
 As to resolutions to be holy, made by men with unregenerate 
 hearts, we have a memorable instance recorded in Deut. v. 27 
 — 29, * Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God 
 shall say; and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God 
 shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it. 
 And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake 
 unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice 
 of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto 
 thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. O, 
 
 THAT THERE WERE SUCH A HEART IN THEM, that they WOUld 
 
 fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it 
 might be well with them and their children forever.' The 
 great vice of the resolutions of the unregenerate is, that be- 
 ing made by the ' will of the flesh,' while the affections of the 
 heart are still impure, there is not such a heart in those 
 who make them, that they will keep God's commandments 
 always. Nothing is more common than for graceless men, 
 under mere legal conviction, and terrors wrought by the com- 
 mon operations of the Spirit, or in seasons of affliction, to 
 make resolutions to live righteously, and adopt a correspond- 
 ing reformation of life, which in different persons is of vari- 
 ous extent and duration. Nay, the whole form of religion 
 may be assumed without its power. The spirit of bondage 
 may goad the subject of it to the earnest purpose to obey 
 the will of God, and to put forth all the appearances of 
 piety. But the living and abiding root of grace in the soul 
 is wanting; so that there is no living faith, no life-giving 
 union to Christ, the only source of supplies of strength and 
 growth, no inward transformation by the renewing of the 
 mind, no true spirit of adoption, no love of holiness for its 
 own sake. In this sense, many are partakers of the heav- 
 enly gift, and taste the powers of the world to come, who 
 sooner or later fall away. Many anon hear the word with
 
 284 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 joy, who, when tribulation ariseth because of the word, are 
 straightway offended. Many, under the impulse of selfish 
 hope or fear, or from a pride of consistency, keep up an out- 
 ward and barren form of godliness through life, who never- 
 theless have no living principle of thrift and growth, and 
 manifest none of the precious fruits of the Spirit.**** 
 
 " We by no means intend to intimate that none, or even 
 few of those who profess religion under such circumstances, 
 prove in the end to be real Christians, and to walk as be- 
 cometh the gospel of Christ. We rejoice in the belief that 
 there are many such. But, as concerns the instrumental 
 cause of this, we ascribe them chiefly to other agencies, 
 which are wholly unnoticed in the blazing accounts of these 
 excitements that are paraded in the public prints. We as- 
 cribe them to previous religious instruction, to the sabbath 
 school, to pastoral preaching, prayer and other labours; to 
 the teachings, prayers and tears of godly parents.* **** 
 
 " That we have not exaggerated the true character and re- 
 sults of these manceuvres, is attested by the concurrent voice 
 of all competent witnesses in any degree acquainted with 
 them. To present any considerable part of this description 
 of evidence, which has been accumulating the last ten years, 
 
 ♦There can be no doubt but that the sound conversions .which take 
 place during such excitements, is owing chiefly to the previous instruc- 
 tion of intelligent and faithful pastors — of pastors whose churches are 
 often subsequently deserted, and whose ministry is often afterwards spo- 
 ken of in the most contemptuous, ungrateful and uncharitable manner ! 
 And there is as little room for doubt, that, had many, if not all such, con- 
 fined themselves to ihe scriptural ministrations of their pastors, and to 
 the use of the ordinary but divinely appointed means of grace, the}' 
 ■would have been eventually renewed and brought into the spiritual king- 
 dom of God — and that too, under circumstances far more favourable to 
 the formation of Christian character and their subsequent growth in 
 grace.
 
 NEW MEASURES. 285 
 
 would itself fill the usual space allotted to an article. We 
 shall barely exhibit as a specimen the last that has come in 
 our way. It is from a concio ad clerum, preached by Rev. 
 A. Newton, at the late commencement of the Western Re- 
 serve College. It is, therefore, from a source not liable to 
 the imputation of being warped by ' Old School prejudices.' 
 We take the following extract from the New England Puri- 
 tan, of Sept. 23, 1841. Ex uno disceomnes. 
 
 " ' I do not know that any of our modern evangelists 
 would consent to labour in a place at all, unless they could 
 be allowed to hold a meeting of five or six weeks in continu- 
 ance. During these meetings it is expected that Christians 
 will suspend much of the ordinary business of life — that they 
 will attend meetings from three to five times a day — that 
 they will confess their sins in public — that they will con- 
 verse with the impenitent — and generally, do what they have 
 perhaps never done, and what they are not expected to con- 
 tinue to do for a great length of time. Furthermore, there 
 is generally incorporated with this system the practice of 
 dividing off those who seem to be affected with religious 
 truth into classes, and assigning to them different seats, 
 which take their names from the supposed spiritual condition 
 of their occupants — as anxious seats — decision seats — hop- 
 ing seats, &c. It is not an uncommon thing to call persons 
 by name in prayer. There is also very generally encouraged 
 a style and manner of praying so grossly familiar, as to 
 shock most minds unaccustomed to it; and a manner of 
 preaching is practised, which is calculated rather to affect the 
 imagination and the passions, than enlighten the understand- 
 ing and impress the conscience and the heart.' 
 
 " He further lays to the account of this system, the pro- 
 ducing of many spurious conversions. And after showing 
 how it produces the result, he says:
 
 286 NEW MEASUilKS, 
 
 " ' But what do facts teach us on this subject ? If any 
 reliance can be placed on the testimony of some of the most 
 discriminating and judicious pastors, whose churches have 
 been the theatre of these operations, we must believe that 
 the system does produce a large proportion of unsound con- 
 versions. I am not permitted to name persons or places, 
 but I may say that in one church where an evangelist was 
 employed, more than half that united with the church, prov- 
 ed, within two or three years, in the estimation of the pas- 
 tor, to be destitute of piety; that in another where upwards 
 of one hundred conversions were proclaimed, not fifteen, in 
 the opinion of the pastor, ever gave evidence of a saving 
 change; and the children who had been thought converts, 
 were pronounced by their school teachers to be seven-fold 
 worse than before; and that in another church where an evan- 
 gelist had laboured with great apparent success, the pastor in 
 less than a year afterwards declared that of the two hundred 
 who united with his church in the season of excitement, not 
 more than fifty gave satisfactory evidence of piety. These 
 three examples are adduced as fair illustrations of the effects 
 of the system. The revivals occurred in different places, and 
 were all conducted by different evungelists. And from an 
 inquiry somewhat extensive on this subject, I have good 
 reason to believe that not a much greater proportion of sound 
 conversions has been the result of such efforts generally for 
 the last six or eight years.'* 
 
 *The history of the Third Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, prior to 
 my pastoral connection with it, furnishes abundant evidence of the ruin- 
 ous effects of new measures. It may not be generally known, from the 
 present character and standing of the congregation, that this system was 
 for many years in use in this church. It had frequent " revivals" — so 
 called — an account of one of which is still extant in pamphlet form. 
 During these seasons of excitement, numbers were added to the commu-
 
 NEW MEASURES. 287 
 
 *' Our limits will now only permit a cursory glance at 
 some of the more flagrant evils resulting from this whole 
 system, which have not been distinctly noted in the forego- 
 ing analysis. 
 
 " These are only so many developments of that law which 
 governs the use of preternatural stimulants, throughout eve- 
 ry department of animated existence. They are neither 
 foodful nor nutritious. Though they may goad for the mo- 
 ment into a spasmodic energy and excitement, they do it 
 by taxing those latent, residuary powers, which constitute a 
 reserve force for future emergencies, and consequently, in a 
 brief period, induce a greater debility than they found. 
 Now all these expedients for producing a religious excite- 
 
 nion of the church ; and the congregation was repor'ed, at various 
 times, as being in a highly prosperous and growing state. But the truth 
 is, that the greater part of the converts would not slay convened; and left 
 the church about as fast as they were brought into it. One minister af- 
 ter another took charge of it; and each, after raising expectation by his 
 revival machinery, was in turn obliged to abandon it. In short, the 
 church was revived, and re-revived, until it was nearly revived to death ! 
 The expedients resorted to were only temporary in their reviving effects, 
 and left the church in a worse and worse condition. The conduct of 
 some of the operators resembled that of certain planters, who care not for 
 the ultimate impoverishment of the soil, so that they can only reap a few 
 good crops. The church, in the emphatic language of one of its early 
 friends, was like a good cow — milked, but not fed; and as soon as it be- 
 came dry, the milker was off, to pursue the same easy and exhausting 
 process somewhere else. When I came here, it would have been difficult 
 to have found a dozen left in the church, who had been " brought out" 
 under the high pressure system; and the congregation itself was on the 
 eve of total extinction. One fact will illustrate the illusion of such mea- 
 sures. On one page of the Minutes of the Presbytery, a flaming narra- 
 tive of a work of grace in the church, is given by the gentleman who 
 was then its minister, and the efiects of it upon the prospective interests 
 of the congregation spoken of in glowing terms: when, lo ! on the very 
 next page, the record is made of the dissolution of his connection with 
 the church, on the ground of inadequate pecuniary support ! By one
 
 288 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 ment, are but so many stimulants of man's inventing, ap- 
 plied to the natural susceptibilities, to produce a transient 
 stir and commotion on the subject of religion. They are a 
 substitute for the regenerating work of the Holy Ghost in 
 the soul, implanting new principles of hearty love and obe- 
 dience to the truth as it is in Jesus. They are therefore per- 
 fectly analogous to those stimulants of the physical system, 
 which excite a transient, unnatural, and almost a demoniac 
 power, but instead of imparting real, abiding strength, only 
 consume and exhaust it. As under the application of these 
 stimulants there is a degree of overwrought, morbid excite- 
 ment, which the human system cannot long endure, so, im- 
 mediately on their cessation, there is a terrible relapse. An 
 
 who has not beeu placed in similar circumstances, it would be impossible 
 to estimate the difficulties which were thus entailed upon the present pas- 
 tor of the church. For a year or two, I could do but little else than teach 
 the people what religion is wo^; and endeavour to counteract the unfa- 
 vourable impressions which had been made upon the community in con- 
 sequence of previous and frequent failures to resuscitate the church. 
 And for many, many years, were we obliged to struggle with an onerous 
 debt, contracted in great part, for the purpose of paying the salaries of 
 one and another of the revival ministers who had been froili time to time 
 employed. 
 
 Moreover, — to say nothing of the character, generally, of converts 
 made by such machinery, — it is found that the number added to the church 
 was not as great as has since been added, by the blessing of God, upon the 
 ordinary means of grace The congregation was organized on the 5th 
 day of May, 1822; and up to the summer of 1830, a period of eight years, 
 according to the sessional records, there had been added to the church 
 Iwo hundred and ttoenty persons. During the first eight years of my min- 
 istry, that is, from 1830 to 1838, there were added to the church three 
 hundred and five persons; or eighty-five more than during the same period 
 under the high pressure system. And, blessed be God, with the exception 
 of those who have gone to their eternal rest, and those who from time to 
 time have removed from the city, and some /e?© who have, alas! back- 
 sliden, — they remain to this day, the worthy members of the church — my 
 hope and joy and crown of rejoicing!
 
 NEW MEASURES. 289 
 
 awful torpor usually ensues, and that, in most cases, imme- 
 diately. 
 
 " The ordinary means of grace, the unadulterated milk 
 and meat of divine truth, cease to invigorate and quicken 
 those who have been subjected to these exorcisms, just as nu- 
 tritious food will not give the requisite tone to the system 
 which has been chiefly kept up by narcotic or alchcholic 
 stimulants. Hence preaching, and all other means of grace, 
 are beyond precedent, striptof all power and interest among 
 a people thus hardened and stupified. All the plain and 
 solemn services of the sanctuary, as conducted by a stated 
 ministry, become ineffably tame and dull to those who have 
 so long been regaling themselves on droll stories, startling 
 paradoxes, and degrading or delusive illustrations. . Wor- 
 shipping assemblies speedily become thin and inattentive. 
 Decay and langour rapidly mark every thing pertaining to the 
 cause of religion. Things wax worse and worse. And the 
 withering re-action is equal to the overheated action. Asa 
 necessary result, a species of infatuation ordinarily possesses 
 at least the leaders in these transactions. Those who are 
 quickened by morbid stimulants, instead of attributing their 
 subsequent lassitude and other distempers to the true cause, 
 will usually charge them upon something else: perhaps upon 
 influences most salutary in their nature. So in this case. 
 They usually charge their decay and exhaustion upon those 
 Christians and ministers who will not fall in with and endorse 
 such proceedings, styling them 'Achans', 'stumbling blocks,' 
 &c. &c. Or they charge it upon the want of the 'revival 
 spirit, or revival preaching,' in the pastor, who may be en- 
 deavouring, by a judicious course of instruction, to restore the 
 chaotic mass to a state of order and thrift. 
 
 " Hence the remedy for this prostration and debility, which 
 is always resorted to, unless God graciously dispel their 
 37
 
 290 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 blindness, is a more liberal use of the same sort of means 
 which produced them. A mere repetition of the same pre- 
 cise measures is usually stale, and has little power to rouse 
 the people. As novelty and strangeness formed a chief in- 
 gredient in the exciting power of their first measures, so these 
 qualities vanish at each repetition, unless produced by some 
 new devices still more strange and startling in their nature 
 and disastrous in their results. And this process usually 
 goes on from bad to worse, in places not cured of the love of 
 such things, till the folly of these operators becomes manifest, 
 and they can go no further, having tried experiment after ex- 
 periment, till the most desperate expedients cease to affect the 
 people. Thus Mr. Finney, who, in his discourse on measures, 
 insists that there must always be something new, has tried 
 every expedient, doctrinal and practical, he has at last taken 
 up Perfectionism as the magic instrument which is to rouse 
 the church to a higher standard of action, and revive those 
 slumbering professors, whom he so emphatically denounced 
 as a DISGRACE TO RELIGION. And his folly has become man- 
 ifest to multitudes who never could see it before. For it is an 
 unalterable law that ' evil men and seducers shall wax worse 
 and worse.' 
 
 " And when such means come to be regarded as ' the 
 great power of God,' the grand appliances by which reli- 
 gion receives its chief impulse and advancement, then a pro- 
 portionate disparagement of the divinely instituted means of 
 grace ensues. Having become insipid, unprofitable and 
 powerless, they likewise become contemptible in the eyes of 
 the people. That, in the train of these measures, the sabbath, 
 sanctuary, ministry, and family religion, sink in the practi- 
 cal judgment and affections of the people, is not so much 
 matter of speculation as of history. All these latter means 
 contemplate a gentle, solid, and steady growth, a progress 
 which, if slow, is sure. Of course they are at war with the
 
 NEW MEASURES 291 
 
 whole genius of new measures. What opinion would he 
 have of the efficacy of family worship, or of a plain gospel- 
 sermon on the sabbath, who conceived that it was the prov- 
 ince, not of Godj but of some famous, story-telling, paradox- 
 ical preacher to give the increase? We believe it to be a 
 well-established fact, that family religion does not flourish in 
 churches, which depend chiefly on these unnatural stimulants 
 for the promotion of religion. If the form is retained, the 
 power of it vanishes. And what more fatal shock can the per- 
 manent interests of religion receive, than the dissemination of 
 a general contempt of these great ordinances of God for its 
 promotion? Of course these measures sweep away the pas- 
 toral relation in their dreadful wake. 
 
 "People who have been regaling themselves on the rare 
 entertainments afforded by this sort of preachers, with its va- 
 ried condiment of vulgar humour, sarcasm, anecdote, illus- 
 tration and histrionism, and who think this the great means 
 of promoting religion, will not long endure plain gospel ser- 
 mons, or those who preach them ; ' for the time shall come 
 when they will not endure sound doctrine, but will after 
 their own lusts heap to themselves teachers, having itching 
 ears.' Pastors therefore are early victims to this course of 
 things. All this has for a long time been matter of history. 
 Through whole Presbyteries," (new school) " and tracts of 
 country where these men have figured, there is only here and 
 there a settled pastor, and what few there are, have in most 
 cases been settled, and are destined to continue settled, but 
 a few months. Now if there is any sure method in which 
 the curse of God is inflicted upon churches, it is in their 
 privation of faithful and competent pastors. 
 
 "This system is the fruitful mother of doctrinal errors and 
 heresies of every form and hue. It works this result in va- 
 rious ways. It is based upon and pre-supposes a fundamental
 
 293 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 error respecting that power by which the heart of man is 
 conformed and made obedient to the truths of the gospel. 
 It substitutes human expedients which operate on the natu- 
 ral susccptibiUties, for God's sovereign, omnipotent, trans- 
 forming grace. It of course denies or explains away spe- 
 cial grace, and all affiliated doctrines. This, as we have al- 
 ready seen, strikes, by inevitable consequence, at the very 
 vitals of religious experience, and dwindles it down to a 
 mere resolution put forth under the impulses of self-love. 
 But after these errors, so exhilarating to the carnal mind, 
 lose their freshness, they lose their power to arouse men ; 
 and they generally prefer to postpone attention to a religion 
 which it is so easy to obtain at any moment, till they have a 
 more convenient season for attending to it. Then the new 
 conception of the Sprayer of faith' is brought in to surmount 
 this obstacle. But when this demonstrates its own fallacy 
 in unquestionable results, improved dietetics or Perfectionism 
 is brought forward as the last desperate remedy for a desper- 
 ate case. It is learned that external ordinances are an incu- 
 bus on the free aspirations of the spirit within. The obli- 
 gation of the moral law also is found to fetter inward lib- 
 erty.* It is discovered to be a dreadful bondage to be under 
 any law but our own passions and lusts. Thus the most 
 unbridled licentiousness has stalked abroad, with great swel- 
 ling words of vanity, saying to humble piety, stand by for 
 I AM HOLIER THAN THOU. Meanwhile, many who have been 
 pronounced converts, and perhaps made foremost in promot- 
 ing the revival, finding that their conversion is all a delu- 
 
 ♦The New Measures appear to have produced the same anti-nomian- 
 ism, &c. in Mr. Wesley's times. His Journal contains many examples 
 of this among his converts; over which he bitterly lamented, but of the 
 true cause of which he appears to have been profoundly ignorant. — Wes- 
 Uy's WorkSy vol. Ill, pp. 172-174.— p. 178.— pp. 181-18S— pp. 186-190, &c.
 
 NEW MEASURES. 293 
 
 sion, begin to consider all religious experience as a dream of 
 enthusiasm, and all evangelical religion an imposture. In a 
 genuine revival of religion, we have seen those who were 
 fortified against it; because, as they said, ' they had been all 
 through with this conversion before, and it was all a farce.' 
 Spectators who observe these scenes and their results often 
 imbibe the same sort of scepticism. Many of the more sub- 
 stantial sort of people, disgusted with such a course of things, 
 flee for relief to some of those sects, where an orderly form- 
 alism takes the place of evangelical piety. Thus infidelity, 
 Universalism and formality grow apace. The result is, in 
 many cases_, incurable divisions and feuds in churches ; in 
 others, their utter disruption and disorganization ; in others, 
 their complete apostacy and extinction, or, at best evanes- 
 cence into Perfectionism, Unionism, et id genus omne. 
 
 "Suppose however, that these more fearful rocks and quick- 
 sands are avoided. Let us consider, for a moment, the case 
 of such as, in the judgment of charity, are real Christians 
 in churches which have been filled with members by these 
 measures. Although their tendency may have been so far 
 counteracted as to prevent fatal delusion in many cases, yet 
 it does not follow that they are harmless even in that event. 
 On the contrary, they do exceedingly mar, distort and debil- 
 itate the piety of real Christians. They serve to make them 
 weak in the faith ; to give them confused views of that truth 
 by which they are sanctified ; to impede their growth in grace 
 and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; to 
 impoverish all that part of religious experience which con- 
 sists in communion with God, self-searching, mortification of 
 lust, the inward conflict between nature and grace, love, 
 joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance, and all the fruits of the Spirit. They 
 greatly impair the beautiful proportion and symmetry of re-
 
 294 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 ligious character ; inspiring a disproportionate zeal for some 
 things, and a comparative neglect of others equally important. 
 There is often, for example, a most vehement zeal for the 
 conversion of sinners, and the reformation of public morals, 
 while there is little zeal against sin within the zealot him- 
 self, little habitual spirituality and heavenliness of mind. 
 This degenerate, lean, starveling sort of religious experience 
 has become exceedingly prevalent of late years, and is mat- 
 ter of universal complaint. There are immense multitudes 
 who do not appear so much no Christians, as weak Chris- 
 tians ; babes in knowledge and grace, who retain all the 
 weakness and imbecility of helpless infancy. They are in- 
 capable of withstanding the seductions of error and tempta- 
 tion. They are ' children tossed to and fro, and carried 
 about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and 
 cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive,' Eph. 
 iv. 14. They have not their ' senses exercised to discern 
 both good and evil,' and * when for the time, they ought to 
 be teachers, they have need that one teach them again, which 
 be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become 
 such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat,' Heb. v. 
 12 — 14. And what else could be expected? Can a bad 
 tree bring forth good fruits ? 
 
 " In short, what has been styled New Divinity and New 
 Measures, is essentially Arminianism: it produces anArmin- 
 ian religion : wherever it has prevailed in Calvinistic com- 
 munions, it has reduced them to, if not below, the level of 
 the surrounding Arminian sects. All that pre-eminence for 
 scriptural knowledge, spiritual discernment, stable, sober and 
 principled piety, which has been the glory of Calvinistic 
 churches ; which has made them pioneers in religious enter- 
 prise and useful reformations, and bulwarks of truth, liberty, 
 order, purity, intelligence and learning, against the vandal
 
 NEW MEASURES. 295 
 
 irruptions of rationalistic and prelatic arrogance, fanatic and 
 ignorant zeal, instantly vanishes when this leaven prevails ; 
 
 and THE GLORY IS DEPARTED.**** 
 
 " A few words as to the manner in which such principles 
 and proceedings are commonly vindicated by their authors 
 and abettors. 
 
 "Although great evil confessedly attends them, yet it is 
 deemed enough to silence all objections, that they accom- 
 plish great good, and are the occasion of many genuine con- 
 versions. But this plea renounces the only standard by 
 which all controversies are to be tried, and appeals to results. 
 We say * to the law and the testimony.' Moreover, appeal- 
 ing to results, they are non-suited, as the foregoing pages 
 abundantly show. As to those who are truly converted at 
 such times, could not and would not the grace of God bring 
 them into his kingdom, in the due use of his appointed 
 means, and in a manner far more promotive of the prosperity 
 of their souls? Are not great numbers fatally deluded and 
 otherwise injured, and are not all the interests of religion 
 smitten with a withering blight ? Is it said that the church 
 can be purged by discipline ? Under the purest administra- 
 tion, and the utmost vigilance, some false professors will 
 find their way into the church, and there will be need of an 
 occasional excommunication. But is it not unutterably cruel 
 to beguile men into the church by a system of devices, w^hich 
 can only be defended on the ground that the mischiefs flow- 
 ing from them, can be counteracted by inflicting on their 
 victims the pains of ecclesiastical decapitation ? And is 
 it not ruinous to their souls to use measures expressly de- 
 signed to produce religious excitement in them, which shall 
 stop short of true conversion ? For do not scripture and 
 experience prove that, in such cases, ' the last state is worse 
 than the first?' It is one thing to be visited with such evils
 
 296 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 occasionally in spite of the best efforts to avoid them, and 
 quite another to adopt a system directly adapted to engen- 
 der them. 
 
 " They are in the habit of replying to all objections with 
 great assurance, by saying that in this age the world moves 
 by steam, and unless we adopt some more improved, rapid 
 method of converting it, it will run away from us. This 
 idea is put forth in every variety of form, ad captai^dum, to 
 catch the unreflecting crowd. Our readers, we fear, will 
 think we are dealing with trifles, in giving it this distinct 
 and formal notice. But we are impelled to do it, in view of 
 the serious use which is made of this fancy. When those 
 who profess to surpass all others as teachers and promoters 
 of religion, offer it as a serious answer to the objections of 
 the ' Old School' against their fierce and impetuous move- 
 ments, and loose doctrines, that ' if any choose to travel in 
 ox- carts or scows they can, but we prefer a steamboat or 
 locomotive,' when things of this nature are seriously thrown 
 out in ' revival' sermons, as they have been freely by those 
 who have figured most prominently in these things of late ; 
 then we say, it ought to be put in print ; so that it may be- 
 come the object of calm contemplation ; and that those who 
 presume to argue thus about God's truth, and the order of 
 his house, may retain whatever credit they can as teachers of 
 * the religion of the Bible,' which is the same ' yesterday, 
 to-day, and forever.' 
 
 " In conclusion, we think that ample cause has been 
 shown why the orthodox Christians of this land look with 
 greater or less distrust upon all religious excitements, which 
 are produced under the influence either of the doctrines or 
 measures which have been examined, or of both conjoined ; 
 and still more why they cannot look upon such excitements 
 as evidential of the truth of the principles, the rectitude of
 
 NEW MEASURKS. 297 
 
 the measures, of the men, that are instrumental in their pro- 
 duction ; and why they cannot confide in the authors and 
 abettors of these doctrines and devices, no matter what 
 wonders they may work, until they explicitely repudiate 
 them. 
 
 " And we think that in these things the course of duty is 
 the course of safety ; that the more entirely all ministers 
 and churches avoid all participation in, all sanction or coun- 
 tenance of these extravagances, the more will they be in the 
 way of receiving the Divine blessing, and becoming ulti- 
 mately sound and prosperous. Mark those which cause di- 
 visions and offences among you, and avoid them. Have no 
 fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather 
 reprove them, is the course, not less of wise policy, than of 
 gospel righteousness. And it behooves all concerned to see 
 to it, that they so faithfully and prayerfully use the means of 
 Divine appointment for promoting the cause of religion, that 
 they shall give no occasion to those who seek occasion, and 
 wish a plausible pretext for thrusting upon them the contra- 
 ry sort of proceedings, and thus kindling unhallowed 
 
 FIRE upon the altar OF THE LORD." 
 
 As this subject is one of paramount importance, I will 
 subjoin the letters of the venerable Drs. Alexander and Mil- 
 ler of Princeton, appended, among others from various dis- 
 tinguished clergymen of different denominations, to the Lec- 
 tures of Dr. Sprague on Revivals of Religion. — These Lec- 
 tures are admirably written — expository of the nature of a 
 genuine revival of religion and of the scriptural means for 
 their promotion ; — and the Letters, added in the form of an 
 Appendix, are equally interesting and instructive : and pro- 
 ceeding from no less than twenty ministers, certainly among 
 the most talented, learned, pious and useful in their respect- 
 ive communions, their unanimous and decided testimony is 
 38
 
 298 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 entitled to great consideration. The following are the let- 
 ters of Drs. Alexander and Miller : — 
 
 LETTER 
 
 FROM THE REVEREND ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, D. D. 
 
 Professor of Theology In the Theological Seminary, Princeton, New-Jersey. 
 
 " Princeton, March 9, 1832. 
 " Reverend and dear sir, 
 
 " In compliance with your request, I send you a few 
 thoughts on revivals. I am gratified to learn that you are 
 about to publish some Lectures on this interesting subject. 
 I hope they will be extensively useful ; and if you should 
 judge that any thing which I may write would subserve a 
 valuable purpose, you are at liberty to make use of this let- 
 ter as you may think best. 
 
 " A revival or religious excitement may exist and be very 
 powerful, and affect many minds, when the producing cause 
 is not the Spirit of God ; and when the truth of God is not 
 the means of the awakening. This we must believe, unless 
 we adopt the opinion that the Holy Spirit accompanies error 
 by his operations as well as truth, which would be blasphem- 
 ous. Religious excitements have been common among Pa- 
 gans, Mohammedans, heretics and Papists. And in our 
 own time there have been great religious excitements among 
 those who reject the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel ; 
 as for example, among the Christ-ians, who are Unitarians, 
 and the JYew-lights or Schismatics of the west, and the 
 Campbellites, who deny the proper Divinity of our Lord, 
 and the scriptural doctrine of atonement. The whole reli- 
 gion of the Shakers also, consists in enthusiastic excite- 
 ment. Hence it is evident, that revivals ought to be distin- 
 guished into such as are genuine and such as are spurious.
 
 NEW MEASURES. 299 
 
 And the distinction should depend on the doctrines inculca- 
 ted, on the measures adopted, and the fruits produced. 
 * Beloved,' says the apostle John, ' believe not every spirit, 
 but try the spirits, whether they are of God.' 
 
 "2. Again, a revival or religious excitement may take 
 place when a few persons only are under the saving opera- 
 tions of the Holy Spirit : but w^hen many are affected by 
 sympathy, and by the application of extraordinary means of 
 awakening the feelings. 1 have seen a powerful religious im- 
 pression pervade a large congregation at once, so that very few 
 remained unaffected ; and niost expressed their feelings by the 
 strongest signs ; and yet, as it afterwards appeared, very few 
 of them became permanently serious. Besides, when the 
 the Spirit operates savingly on some, there is reason to think 
 that his common operations are experienced by many. 
 The minds of the people generally become more serious and 
 tender; and many are deeply convinced of the necessity of 
 religion, and engage earnestly in prayer, and in attendance 
 on other means of grace. Now while so many are affected, 
 but few may be truly converted ; and no human wisdom is 
 adequate to discern between those who are savingly wrought 
 upon, and those who are only the subjects of the common op- 
 erations of the Holy Spirit. The tree which is covered with 
 blossoms often produces little fruit. The wind which agi- 
 tates the whole forest, may tear up but few trees by the roots. 
 Thus there may be great and promising appearances, and yet 
 very little fruit. Temporary believers may use the same lan- 
 guage, and exhibit to others precisely the same appearance 
 as true converts. This consideration should be sufficient to 
 prevent the practice lately introduced, of admitting persons to 
 the communion of the church at the very meeting at which 
 they were first awakened. There may be cases in which 
 well instructed persons of known good character, may be
 
 300 
 
 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 received to the Lord's table, as soon as they profess a hope 
 of acceptance with God, but these should be considered ex- 
 ceptions to the general rule. Often the impressions produ- 
 ced at a public meeting, where strong excitements are ap- 
 plied to awaken the feelings, are as evanescent as the morn- 
 ing cloud or early dew. And many of those who become 
 truly pious, entertain for a while, hopes, which they after- 
 wards are convinced to be unfounded ; and to pronounce 
 such persons converted at once, and hurry their admission 
 to the Lord's table, would be the most effectual method of 
 preventing their saving conversion. There may be an error 
 on the other side, of too long a delay, and of discouraging real 
 believers from approaching the table of their Lord; but the er- 
 ror is on the safest side. As to apostolical precedent, it is just 
 as strong for a community of goods ; and after all, there is no 
 undoubted case of any convert being immediately received 
 to the Lord's supper. They were baptized instantly on their 
 profession, but this in our view is a different thing; for we 
 admit infants to baptism, but not to the other sacrament. 
 And the fact is, that in every part of the world, the plan of 
 placing young converts in the class of catechumens, to be 
 instructed even prior to their baptism, was adopted. God 
 often leaves his servants to find out by experience what is 
 most expedient, and does not teach every thing by inspira- 
 tion ; as in the case of Moses in judging the people of Isra- 
 el. And if experience has uttered her monitory voice clear- 
 ly on any point, I think she has in regard to this; and I have 
 no doubt that future experience will fully corroborate the les- 
 sons of the past. 
 
 " 3. A real work of the Spirit maybe mingled with much 
 enthusiasm and disorder ; but its beauty will be marred, and 
 its progress retarded by every such spurious mixture. Thus 
 also, individuals who are the subjects of special grace, may
 
 NEW MEASURES. 301 
 
 for a while, be carried away with erroneous notions and ex- 
 travagant feelings. We must not, therefore, condemn all 
 as deluded souls, who manifest some signs of enthusiasm. 
 But under the same revival or general excitement, while 
 some are renewed and ingrafted into Christ, others may be 
 entirely under the influence of error, spiritual pride, and de- 
 lusion. "When the Son of man sows good seed in his field, 
 will not the enemy be busy in sowing tares? And doubtless 
 it often happens, that by the rashness, fanaticism, and extrav- 
 agance of a few persons, especially if they be leaders, an ill 
 report may be brought up against a work, in which the Spi- 
 rit of God has been powerfully operating. The opinion that 
 it is dangerous to oppose fanaticism, lest we hinder the work 
 of Gody is most unfounded. We cannot more effectually pro- 
 mote genuine revivals, than by detecting and suppressing fanat- 
 icism ; which is their counterfeit, and injures their reputation 
 among intelligent men more than all other causes. 
 
 " 4. Often also, there may be much error mingled with 
 the evangelical truth which is preached in times of revival ; 
 and while God blesses his own truth to the conversion of 
 men, the baleful effects of the error which accompanies it 
 will be sure to be manifest. It may be compared to the 
 case, where some poisonous ingredient is mingled with whole- 
 some food. I might here, perhaps, refer to some sections 
 of our own church, where the truth is not clearly inculcated; 
 and it might be shown that there is danger of error on both 
 extremes. But I choose rather to refer to those churches, 
 which we all think to be erroneous in certain points. No de- 
 nomination among us has had more frequent and extensive re- 
 vivals than the Methodists, and we have no doubt that mul- 
 titudes have been truly converted under their ministry ; but 
 the effect of their errors is manifest to an impartial observer. 
 The same remark holds good respecting the Cumberland
 
 802 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 Presbyterians, who greatly resemble the Methodists in their 
 doctrines, and modes of promoting and conducting revivals. 
 And as an example from the opposite extreme, I would men- 
 tion that portion of the Baptist church, which is tinctured 
 with Antinomianism. They have revivals also, but their 
 mode of treating the subjects is widely different from that of 
 the sects last mentioned. 
 
 " 5. But I come now to speak of genuine revivals, where 
 the gospel is preached in its purity, and where the people 
 have been well instructed in the doctrines of Christianity. 
 In a revival, it makes the greatest difference in the world 
 "whether the people have been carefully taught by catechis- 
 ing, and where they are ignorant of the truths of the Bible. 
 In some cases revivals are so remarkably pure, that nothing 
 occurs with which any pious man can find fault. There is 
 not only no wiidness and extravagance, but very little strong 
 commotion of the animal feelings. The word of God dis- 
 tils upon the mind like the gentle rain, and the Holy Spirit 
 comes down like the dew, diffusing a blessed influence on 
 all around. Such a revival affords the most beautiful sight 
 ever seen upon earth. Its aspect gives us a lively idea of 
 what will be the general state of things in the latter day 
 GLORY, and some faint image of the heavenly state. The 
 impressions on the minds of the people in such a work are 
 the exact counterpart of the truth ; just as the impression 
 on the wax corresponds to the seal. In such revivals there 
 is great solemnity and silence. The convictions of sin are 
 deep and humbling : the justice of God in the condemna- 
 tion of the sinner is felt and acknowledged ; every other re- 
 fuge but Christ is abandoned ; the heart at first is made to 
 feel its own impenetrable hardness ; but when least expect- 
 ed, it dissolves under a grateful sense of God's goodness, 
 and Christ's love ; light breaks in upon the soul either by
 
 NEW MEASURES. 303 
 
 a gradual dawning, or by a sudden flash ; Christ is reveal- 
 ed through the gospel, and a firm and often a joyful confidence 
 of salvation through Him is produced : a benevolent, forgiv- 
 ing, meek, humble and contrite spirit predominates — the 
 love of God is shed abroad — and with some, joy unspeak- 
 able and full of glory, fills the soul. A spirit of devotion 
 is enkindled. The word of God becomes exceedingly pre- 
 cious. Prayer is the exercise in which the soul seems to be in 
 its proper element, because by it, God is approached, and his 
 presence felt, and beauty seen : and the new-born soul lives 
 by breathing after the knowledge of God, after communion 
 with God, and after conformity to his will. Now also 
 springs up in the soul an inextinguishable desire to promote 
 the glory of God, and to bring all men to the knowledge of 
 the truth, and by that means to the possession of eternal 
 life. The sincere language of the heart is, ' Lord what 
 wouldst thou have me to do?' That God may send upon 
 his church many such revivals, is my daily prayer; and ma- 
 ny such have been experienced in our country, and I trust 
 are still going forward in our churches. 
 
 "6. But it has often occurred to me — and I have heard 
 the same sentiment from some of the most judicious and 
 pious men that I have known — that there must be a 
 state of the church preferable to these temporary excitements, 
 which are too often followed by a deplorable state of de- 
 clension, and disgraceful apathy and inactivity. Why not 
 aim at having a continuous lively state of piety ; and an un- 
 ceasing progress in the conversion of the impenitent, with- 
 out these dreadful seasons of deadness and indifference? 
 Why may we not hope for such a state of increasing pros- 
 perity in the church, ih?Lt revivals shall be no longer needed : 
 or if you prefer the expression, when there shall be a per- 
 petual revival'? Richard Baxter's congregation seems for
 
 ;504 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 many years to have approximated to what is here supposed ; 
 and perhaps that of John Brown of Haddington, and Dr. 
 Romaine of London. And in this country, I have known 
 a very few congregations in which a lively state of piety was 
 kept up from year to year. 
 
 " 7. We cannot, however, limit the Holy One, nor pre- 
 scribe modes of operation for the Spirit of God. His dis- 
 pensations are inscrutable, and it is our duty to submit to 
 his wisdom and his will ; and to go on steadily in the per- 
 formance of our own duty. If He, the Sovereign, chooses 
 to water his church by occasional showers, rather than with 
 the perpetual dew of his grace ; and this more at one peri- 
 od, and in one continent, than at other times and places, we 
 should rejoice and be grateful for the rich effusions of his 
 Spirit in any form and manner ; and should endeavour to 
 avail ourselves of these precious seasons, for the conversion 
 of sinners, and the edification of the body of Christ. In 
 the natural world the cold and barren winter regularly suc- 
 ceeds the genial and growing seasons of spring and summer ; 
 and there may be an analogy to this vicissitude in the spirit- 
 ual world. One thing we are taught, that believers stand in 
 need of seasons of severe trial, that they may be purified, 
 as the precious metals are purged from their dross in the 
 heated furnace. Paul says, ' For there must be heresies 
 among you, that they which are approved may be made 
 manifest.' 
 
 " 8. As genuine revivals are favourable to truth and or- 
 thodoxy, so spurious excitements furnish one of the most 
 effectual vehicles for error and heresy. The church is not 
 always benefitted by what are termed revivals ; but some- 
 times the effects of such commotions are followed by a des- 
 olation which resembles the track of the tornado. I have nev- 
 er seen so great insensibility in any people as in those who had
 
 NEW MEASURES. 305 
 
 been the subjects of violent religious excitement ; and I 
 have never seen any sinners so bold and reckless in their im- 
 piety as those who had once been loud professors, and fore- 
 most in the time of revival. If I had time, I might illus- 
 trate this remark by a reference to the great revival of the 
 west, which commenced about the close of the year 1800 in 
 the south part of Kentucky; and by which the Presbyterian 
 church in that region was for so many years broken, distract- 
 ed, and prostrated — but I must forbear. When people are 
 much excited, their caution and sober judgment are dimin- 
 ished ; and when preachers are ardently zealous in revivals, 
 serious people do not suspect them of holding errors, or of 
 entertaining the design of subverting the truth. It is also a 
 fact that the teachers of false doctrine, do sometimes artful- 
 ly associate their errors with revivals, and by continually in- 
 sinuating or openly declaring, that revivals only take place 
 in connection with their new theology, they succeed in per- 
 suading those who have more zeal than knowledge, that all 
 who oppose their errors, are the enemies of revivals. This 
 artifice has often been played off with much effect ; and they 
 have sometimes gone so far as to deny the genuineness of 
 great revivals which occurred under the ministry of those 
 holding opinions different from their own ; or who neglected 
 to bring into operation all the newly invented apparatus of 
 revivals. 
 
 *' You may, perhaps, expect me to say something respect- 
 ing what are called new measures ; but as I am out of the 
 way of witnessing the actual operation of these means, I 
 will not venture on a discussion which is both delicate 
 and difficult, farther than to mention some general results, 
 which from a retrospect of many facts, 1 have adopted, in 
 regard to revivals of religion. On each of these I might 
 largely expatiate, but my prescribed limits forbid it. 
 39
 
 306 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 " All means and nieasures which produce a high degree 
 of excitement, or a great commotion of the passions, should 
 be avoided ; because religion does not consist in these violent 
 emotions, nor is it promoted by them ; and when they sub- 
 side, a wretched state of deadness is sure to succeed. 
 
 " The subjects of religious impressions ought not to be 
 brought much into public notice. It ought not to be for- 
 gotten, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and 
 that strong excitement does not prevent the risings of pride 
 and vain glory. Many become hypocrites when they find 
 themselves the objects of much attention, and affect feelings 
 which are not real ; and where there is humility and sinceri- 
 ty, such measures turn away the attention from the distinct 
 contemplation of those subjects which ought to occupy the 
 mind. 
 
 " On this account, I prefer having the anxious addressed 
 and instructed as they sit undistinguished in their seats, 
 rather than calling them out to particular pews, denominated 
 anxious seats : and if the pastor can visit the awakened at 
 their houses, it would be better than to appoint meetings ex- 
 pressly for them. But as this cannot be done, when the 
 number is great, these meetings may be necessary ; but in- 
 stead of attempting to converse with each individual, let the 
 preacher address suitable instruction and advice to all at once; 
 and if any are in any great trouble and difficulty, let them 
 come to the minister's house, or send for him to visit them. 
 " All measures which have a tendency to diminish the so- 
 lemnity of divine worship, or to lessen our reverence for 
 God and divine things, are evidently wrong ; and this is uni- 
 formly the effect of excessive excitement. Fanaticism often 
 blazes with a glaring flame, and agitates assemblies as with 
 a hurricane or earthquake ; but God is not in the fire, or the 
 wind, or the earthquake. His presence is more commonly
 
 NEW MEASURES. 307 
 
 "With the still small voice. There is no sounder characteris- 
 tic of genuine devotion, than reverence. When this is ban- 
 ished, the fire may burn fiercely, but it is unhallowed fire. 
 Fanaticism, however much it may assume the garb and lan- 
 guage of piety, is its opposite : for while the latter is mild, 
 and sweet, and disinterested, and respectful, and affection- 
 ate, the former is proud, arrogant, censorious, selfish, carnal, 
 and when opposed, malignant. 
 
 " The premature and injudicious publication of revivals, 
 is now a great evil. There is in these accounts often a cant 
 which greatly disgusts sensible men ; and there is an exag- 
 geration which confounds those who know the facts; and it 
 cannot but injure the people concerning whom the narrative 
 treats. But I must desist. 
 
 " I am respectfully and affectionately 
 "Yours, 
 
 «* A. ALEXANDER. 
 
 " Rev. W. B. Sprague, D. D." 
 
 LETTER 
 
 FROM THE REVEREND SAMUEL MILLER, D. D, 
 
 Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Churcli Government in the Tbeological Seminary «t 
 
 Princeton, New-Jersey. 
 
 "Reverend and dear brother, 
 
 " The pious and devoted Mr. Baxter somewhere remarks, 
 — ' The Word of God is divine ; but our mode of dispens- 
 ing it is human : and there is scarcely any thing we have 
 the handling of, but we leave on it the prints of our fingers.' 
 The justness of this remark we shall probably all acknow- 
 ledge. And although the contemplation of the fact which 
 it expresses, ought by no means either to discourage the 
 Christian, or lead him to depreciate the real importance of 
 human instrumentality in extending and building up the
 
 308 
 
 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 church ; it ought to lead us all to ' cease from man' as an ul- 
 timate guide in divine things ; to ' search the Scriptures 
 daily ;' to walk with a scrupulous care in their light ; and to 
 pray fervently and unceasingly that both those who admin- 
 ister and those who receive the ordinances of God, may 
 constantly go ' to the law and to the testimony' for guidance 
 in every thing. 
 
 " As the remark in question applies to every department 
 of sacred things, in which men act ; so it may be consider- 
 ed, perhaps, as applying particularly to Revivals or Relig- 
 ion. In those precious seasons, so dear to every pious 
 heart, and so much to be desired by every one who loves 
 the prosperity of Zion ; — when the graces of Christians are 
 revived ; when many who have been slumbering in sin are 
 awakened for the first time to a sight of their guilt and dan- 
 ger ; when the awful realities of eternity begin to be reveal- 
 ed to the minds of multitudes who never saw them as reali- 
 ties before ; when human sympathies and passions as well 
 as gracious feelings, are called into exercise, and sometimes 
 into very powerful and morbid exercise ; and when those 
 who are yet ' babes in Christ,' and who, of course, have no 
 experience, are ready to listen to every suggestion which 
 may indicate some new method of ' winning souls,' and of 
 extending the Redeemer's kingdom ; — can it be wondered, 
 that, in such a season of deep interest, and powerful excite- 
 ment — feeling should often predominate over judgment ; and 
 enthusiasm, fanaticism, and various forms of spurious emo- 
 tion, mingle with genuine exercises ; and, in the view of su- 
 perficial observers, throw a suspicious appearance over the 
 whole work ? In many instances, there can be no doubt, that 
 genuine effusions of the Holy Spirit, by means of which large 
 additions have been made to the Church of Christ, have, in 
 their progress, been tarnished by human management, and
 
 NEW MEASURES. 309 
 
 unhallowed mixtures ; and, in not a few cases, arrested by 
 transactions and appearances, which pained the hearts of 
 intelligent Christians ; disgusted and alienated serious in- 
 quirers ; grieved away the Spirit of God ; left the state of 
 the population thus graciously visited, perhaps less favour- 
 able than it was found ; and greatly strengthened the hands 
 of the enemies of the revival cause. 
 
 " This is so far from being a rare occurrence, that it is 
 presumed an extensive and strongly marked revival of relig- 
 ion has seldom occurred, in any age or country, and even 
 under the ministry of the most prudent and pious pastor, in 
 the course of which some things did not take place adapted 
 to grieve the enlightened friends of the cause of Christ. 
 Public services, perhaps have been, with the best intention, 
 so inordinately multiplied as, in a measure, to defeat their 
 own object. Means have been resorted to, in the fulness of 
 ardent feeling, which scriptural wisdom and experience 
 could not justify. Irregularities and excesses have insensi- 
 bly crept in, which, though meant for the best, and promis- 
 ing, at the time, to be useful, proved far otherwise in their in- 
 fluence. Expression has been given, in public and private, 
 to feelings, which, though sincere and unaffected in those in 
 whom they were first witnessed, were by no means of a sim- 
 ilar character in all subsequent imitators. A few, perhaps, 
 who were deeply impressed with the importance of religion, 
 and with the danger of the impenitently wicked, began, 
 without permission, to give vent to their honest zeal in warm 
 and public addresses. Those whose zeal and knowledge 
 ■were less, and whose vanity was greater, soon imitated their 
 example ; until lay-preaching became prevalent, and extrav- 
 agance and folly were the most prominent features in the 
 scene. Meetings for prayer were protracted to an unseason- 
 able hour. Judicious and sober-minded Christians were
 
 310 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 grieved to see plans adopted, and practices indulged, which, 
 though intended for good, were by no means adapted to 
 promote it. Many who saw and lamented these evils were 
 backward to oppose them, lest they should be thought un- 
 friendly to what was really excellent and commendable in 
 the passing scene. Thus revivals have lost some of their 
 lustre with all ; have been altogether discredited in the eyes 
 of many ; and have, perhaps, been succeeded by long sea- 
 sons of prevailing carelessness, and even of hardened oppo- 
 sition to the special work of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 " But not only are the seeds of human infirmity and cor- 
 ruption to which I have referred, quite sufficient to produce, 
 and to explain the evils which have been mentioned : — not 
 only are the honest mistakes, and the remaining imperfec- 
 tions of the best men apt to betray them, in seasons of ex- 
 citement, into language and plans which will not stand the 
 test of enlightened reflection ; but there can be no doubt 
 that the great adversary of souls makes it his constant study, 
 by working on the minds of hypocrites and fanatics, and by 
 leading good men, as far as possible, into his snares, to 
 counteract and to discredit revivals of religion. * If we 
 look back' — says the eminently wise and experienced Presi- 
 dent Edwards — ' If we look back into the history of the 
 Church of God in past ages, we may observe that it has 
 been a common device of the Devil, to overset a revival of 
 religion, when he finds he can keep men quiet and secure no 
 longer, then to drive them into excesses and extravagances. 
 He holds them back as long as he can ; but when he can do 
 it no longer, then he will push them on, and, if possible, run 
 them upon their heads. And it has been by this means 
 chiefly, that he has been successful, in several instances, to 
 overthrow most hopeful and promising beginnings: yea, the 
 principal means by which the Devil was successful, by de-
 
 NEW MEASURES. 311 
 
 grees, to overset that grand religious revival of the world, 
 that was in the primitive ages of Christianity ; and, in a 
 manner to overthrow the Christian Church through the earth, 
 and to make way for, and bring on the grand anti-Christian 
 apostacy, that master-{)iece of all the Devil's work, was to 
 improve the indiscreet zeal of Christians ; to drive them into 
 those three extremes of enthusiasm, superstition, and severity 
 towards opposers, which should be enough for an everlasting 
 warning to the Christian Church. And though the Devil 
 will do his diligence to stir up the open enemies of religion; 
 yet he knows what is for his interest so well, that in a time 
 of revival of religion, his main strength shall be tried with 
 the friends of it, and he will chiefly exert himself in his at- 
 tempts upon them to mislead them. One truly zealous per- 
 son, in the time of such an event, that seems to have a great 
 hand in the affair, and draws the eyes of many upon him, 
 may do more (through Satan's being too subtle for him) to 
 hinder the work, than a hundred great, and strong, and 
 open opposers.'* 
 
 " One would think, at first view, that a single series of 
 mischievous disorders, strongly marked ; exhibited in a day 
 of great public interest ; and distinctly recorded, would be 
 sufficient to instruct and warn the Church in all succeeding 
 times. But, unhappily, this is by no means found to be the 
 case. Human nature being the same in all ages, the tenden- 
 cies, infirmities and temptations of men are the same. One 
 generation forgets the expeiience of that which preceded it. 
 Few read the record of that experience, and fewer still are 
 qualified to profit by it. The consequence is. that every few 
 years, the same occurrences take place. Good men are en- 
 
 ♦Some Thoughts concerning the present Revival of Religion, &c., Part 
 IV., p. 190.
 
 312 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 snared and led astray in the same manner. Hypocrites man- 
 ifest the same arts and unhallowed ebullitions. Similar mis- 
 takes are made, and similar irregularities are indulged, with- 
 out recollecting, or, perhaps, knowing, that they were ever 
 witnessed before, and, of course, without being admonished 
 by the painful instructions of former times. Thus it is that 
 children profit so little by the experience of their fathers. It 
 were well, indeed, if the fathers themselves always profited 
 as they ought by their own. 
 
 "The truth of these remarks has been exemplified, in a 
 greater or less degree, in almost every age of the Church, 
 from the day of Pentecost, until the present hour. **** 
 
 " While I speak thus candidly on the subject of Camp- 
 meetings^ allow me to volunteer a word in relation to what 
 are commonly styled Jlnxious Seats. They are connected, 
 and not very remotely, with the subject I have undertaken to 
 discuss. Far be it from me to undertake to pronounce on 
 those brethren who have thought it their duty to countenance 
 them, a sentence of condemnation ; or to question that good 
 has sometimes been done where they have been used. But 
 this, I must insist, is not, in all cases, a safe criterion of 
 duty. Men may be savingly benefitted by the instrumental^ 
 ity of means which all would unite in condemning. The 
 decisive question is, can this method of proceeding be con- 
 sidered as the best mode, nay as a really eligible mode, of 
 drawing to a point, and ascertaining the exercises of seri- 
 ous inquirers .-' Is it the best way of deciding on the digests 
 ed feelings, the deliberate purpose of persons, whose atten- 
 tion has been aroused, it may be for the first time, and per- 
 haps only a few minutes before, to the great subject of relig- 
 ion? If, indeed, I were called upon to address one or more 
 individuals on a journey, as Philip was, in the case of the 
 Ethiopian Eunuch ; — individuals whom I never expected
 
 NEW MEASURES', 313 
 
 to see again, after the passing hour; — I might, without im- 
 propriety, call them to declare their decision within that hour, 
 and baptise them, as Phllii) did. Or, if I had occasion to 
 speak to a mixed multitude, the greater part of whom could 
 only remain a few days in the place where the Gospel was 
 preached to them, — as was the situation of many in the city 
 of Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost; — it would strike me 
 as proper to call them, not merely to an immediate decision — 
 between the claims of God and the world, which indeed 
 
 OUGHT ALWAYS TO BE DONE BY EVERY MINISTER; but 
 
 also to an immediate manifestation of that decision, 
 that they might be conversed and prayed with accordingly, 
 in the few hours of opportunity which they were permitted 
 to enjoy. But it would by no means occur to me as the 
 most judicious way, in ordinary cases, of drawing the line 
 between the careless, and the truly anxious inquirer, to re- 
 quest all who were disposed to think seriously, to rise and 
 present themselves before a public assembly, in the charac- 
 ter of persons who had resolved, or were desirous, to devote 
 themselves to the service of Christ, — and this, perhaps, at 
 the close of the very sermon by means of which it was hop- 
 ed they had, for the first time, begun to feel and inquire 
 about salvation ; and, of course, in a few minutes after they 
 thus began to feel. If I were to make such a request, I 
 should expect to find the persons rising and presenting them- 
 selves in compliance with it, to be, for the most part, the 
 forward, the sanguine, the rash, the self-confident, and the 
 self-righteous'; and that many, who felt more deeply, and 
 yet hesitated about announcing themselves so suddenly as 
 anxious inquirers, and, of course, kept their seats, would 
 prove to be the modest, the humble, the broken-hearted, who 
 had a deep impression of the deceitfulness of the heart, and 
 who considered the importance of pondering well the solem- 
 40
 
 314 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 nity of every step on a subject of such unutterable mo- 
 ment. 
 
 " I am aware that the advocates of the system of ' anx- 
 ious seats,' urge, with some plausibility, that, in considera- 
 tion of the natural tendency of the impenitent to stifle con- 
 victions, and to tamper with the spirit of procrastination, it 
 is desirable that they should be prevailed upon, as soon as 
 possible, to ' commit themselves' on this great subject. 
 That a decisive step in relation to this subject is desirable, 
 and that it ought to be taken without delay, is certain. But, 
 at the same time, that it ought to be taken without rashness, 
 with knowledge, with due consideration, and with sacred 
 care not to mistake a transient emotion, for a deep impres- 
 sion, or a settled purpose, is equally certain. Suppose, after 
 a solemn and pointed sermon, an invitation to be given to all 
 present who felt the importance of an immediate attention to 
 * the things which belong to their peace,' to come forward 
 and take the seats provided for them near the pulpit. Sup- 
 pose two hundred individuals to avail themselves of this 
 invitation, and to present themselves before the church as 
 objects of attention and prayer. And suppose, at the end 
 of three months, Jifty of these to unite themselves with the 
 professing people of God, on the ground of 'a good hope 
 through grace ;' — -Jlfty more to take the same step, not be- 
 cause they were satisfied of their Christian character ; but 
 because they had ' committed themselves,' and did not wish 
 to appear fickle, or apostates: — and the remaining hundred 
 to return, with greater obduracy than before, to their former 
 careless and sinful course. I say, suppose such steps, and 
 such a result as I have stated to occur ; — would it be deem- 
 ed, by judicious Christians, a result, on the whole, more 
 favorable for the best interests of the Redeemer's kingdom, 
 than if, in pursuance of what are called the ' old measures,' 
 in such cases, none but the fifty genuine converts had ever
 
 NEW MEASURES. 315 
 
 been brought forward to public view at all, and not even these 
 until they had enjoyed an opportunity to bring their exer- 
 cises to the test of time ; to gain and digest the elements of 
 Christian knowledge, and to ' count the cost' of their under- 
 taking? — The Church indeed, in the latter case, might not 
 grow in numbers quite so rapidly ; and her movements might 
 not be quite so audible and imposing: — but, methinks, her 
 growth would be more likely to prove healthful. She would 
 be less burdened with spurious members. She would be 
 more likely to escape the multiplied evils naturally arising 
 from the fact of a large portion of her members being hur- 
 ried forward in such a school of agitation, immature training, 
 and noisy excitemenf; and much less in danger of placing 
 both \\ie fifty who insincerely took upon themselves the vows 
 of Christ, and the hundred who ' drew back,' in a state far 
 more perilous than ever, with regard to their final salvation. 
 " Let it not be said, that inviting ' to anxious seats' is the 
 only effectual method of ascertaining who are under serious 
 impressions, and who are not. Why is it not quite as effec- 
 tual to give a public invitation to all who are in any degree 
 seriously impressed, or anxious, to remain after the congre- 
 gation is dismissed, or to meet their pastor the next evening, 
 in some convenient apartment, for the purpose of disclosing 
 their feelings, and of being made the subjects of instruction 
 and prayer. Nay, why is not the latter method very much 
 preferable to the former ? It surely gives quite as good an 
 opportunity to ascertain numbers, and to distinguish persons 
 and cases. It affords a far better opportunity to give distinct 
 and appropriate instruction to particular individuals. It pre- 
 vents the mischief of dragging into public view, and even 
 into the highest degree of publicity, those whose exercises 
 are immature, and perhaps transient. And it avoids the 
 danger, which to many, and especially to young people,
 
 316 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 may be very formidable ; — I mean the danger of being inflat- 
 ed by becoming objects of public attention, and by be- 
 ing forthwith addressed and announced, as is too often the 
 case, as undoubted 'converts.' Surely the incipient ex- 
 ercises of the awakened and convinced, ought to be charac- 
 terized by much calm self-examination, and much serious, re- 
 tired, closet work. If there be any whose impressions are 
 so slight and transient that they cannot be safely permitted to 
 wait until the next evening ; it will hardly be maintained that 
 such persons are prepared to ' commit themselves' by pub- 
 licly taking an anxious seat. And if there be any whose 
 vanity would dispose them to prefer pressing forward to 
 such a seat in the presence of a great assembly, to meeting 
 their pastor and a few friends in a more private manner, the 
 Church, I apprehend, can promise herself little comfort from 
 the multiplication of such members. 
 
 " I have just said, that, among those who came forward 
 on such an extemporaneous invitation, I should expect to 
 find the sanguine, the self-confident, the superficially inform- 
 ed and exercised, as a matter of course. On a late occa- 
 sion, and in a house of worship, not very far distant from 
 this place, when, after a solemn discourse, a request was 
 made that all who were anxious, or resolved to attend to 
 their spiritual interests, should immediately arise and signify 
 their determination ; ihejirst person that arose was a young 
 man, in whom the odour of strong drink was very offensive ; 
 who was evidently more than half drunk at the time ; and 
 who never, before or afterwards, manifested any serious con- 
 cern on the subject. In another place, and on another occa- 
 sion, when a similar request was made, the onli/ person that 
 arose was a woman of very dubious character, who is not 
 supposed, I believe, by any one, to have been, either then, 
 or since, under any thing that deserves to be called real
 
 NEW MEASURES. 317 
 
 anxiety of mind. The great Searcher of hearts is ray 
 witness, that I do not mention these facts for the purpose of 
 casting any unfair odium on the practice to which I refer ; 
 but merely for the purpose of exemplifying the principles 
 which I wish to inculcate, and of showing that the dangers 
 which I deprecate are not the mere phantoms of a disorder- 
 ed fancy. 
 
 " In fine, I suppose the truth concerning both ' camp-raeet- 
 ings,' and * anxious seats' to be about this : That however 
 useful they may have really heen in few cases, of very pecu- 
 liar character ; and however they may have appeared to some 
 honest but ardent minds, to operate favorably in a still great- 
 er number of cases; yet, as means of stated and promiscu- 
 ous use, or, in fact, as means to be used at all, unless in very 
 special circumstances, they are eminently adapted to gener- 
 ate fanaticism ; to give a taste for ostentatious display in the 
 service of the sanctuary ; to favour the rapid multiplication 
 of superficial, ignorant, untrained professors of religion ; 
 and to prepare the way for almost every species of disorder. 
 
 " I have been acquainted with more than one Church in 
 which the extemporaneous mode of introducing members, of 
 which I am speaking, has been extensively practised. And 
 I must say, the result has been in no degree adapted to 
 recommend the practice. The great numbers thus added 
 made a most animating figure in the religious periodicals of 
 the day; but, after a year or two, a large portion of them 
 were not to be found. ' Their goodness, like the morning 
 cloud and the early dew,' had passed away. They had, in 
 a great measure, withdrawn from the house of God, and from 
 all attendance on sealing ordinances ; and needed as much as 
 ever to be gathered in from the ' highways and hedges,' and 
 to be made the subjects of a new conversion. The truth is, 
 any plan, in the house of God, for separating the precious
 
 318 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 and the vile; for drawing a line between the Church and 
 the world, which does not provide for an intelligent and de- 
 liberate, as well as serious entrance into the body of Christ; 
 which does not make some good degree of knowledge as 
 U'ell as feeling necessary in the candidate for admission ; 
 however it may gratify one whose ' ruling passion' is to mul- 
 tiply professed converts to the greatest possible extent; and 
 however plausibly it may appear in the public journals of the 
 day ; will disclose miserable results in the end, as to any 
 genuine building up of the Redeemer's kingdom. 
 
 " But I will not run the risk of wearying your patience 
 by farther enlarging on this subject. I shall, therefore, after 
 two or three general remarks, which appear to me to be sug- 
 gested by the foregoing facts, close this long letter. 
 
 " The first remark is, that there is a striking similarity in 
 the disorders which have attended and marred revivals of 
 religion in all ages. As in doctrine, what is thought by 
 many a new opinion, is frequently found, upon inquiry, no- 
 thing more than the revival of an error long ago exploded ; — 
 so in measures of practical disorder, what wears to many 
 all the attraction of novelty, is a repetition — perhaps the 
 fiftieth time — of some old contrivance for producing a sud- 
 den and strong impression on the feelings of a popular as- 
 sembly. In fact, as real religion is the same in all ages, so 
 its counterfeits are the same ; human nature is the same ; 
 and the symptoms and morbid results of enthusiasm, super- 
 stition and fanaticism are substantially the same. We need 
 not be surprized, then, to find ancient irregularities so remark- 
 ably resembling the modern. We have seen that when- 
 ever masses of men became excited, and especially when this 
 excitement seized the minds of those who had been bred 
 in ignorance and thoughtlessness ; — as they were brought 
 into a new world ; so they were apt to think, as a matter of
 
 NEW MEASURES. 319 
 
 course, that some new and bold measures must be adopted ; 
 that exigencies which are as old as human nature, but which 
 appear to them new, call for new modes of proceeding ; and 
 that the counsels of age and experience, like the exploded 
 theories of by gone days, are no longer seasonable or ade- 
 quate. Hence the inordinate love of novel contrivances for 
 arresting the popular attention, and impressing the popular 
 mind ; the spirit of rash and uncharitable denunciation ; the 
 remarkable fact, that, in all ages, young, and, of course, in- 
 experienced ministers, have commonly taken the lead, and 
 discovered the most headstrong obstinacy in commencing 
 and pursuing measures of an innovating character ; a tend- 
 ency to undervalue the settled order of the Church, and to 
 usurp the functions of the sacred office ; yielding the mind 
 to impulses and enthusiastic impressions ; denouncing all 
 who refuse to concur in these things as graceless formalists ; 
 encouraging females to take the lead in social prayer ; call- 
 ing upon penitents to make public confession of their private 
 sins, as indispensable to forgiveness, and spiritual prosperity; 
 claiming to have a gift, unknown to others, of promoting 
 genuine revivals, to be the only real friends of true, spirit- 
 ual religion ; — These are some of the fruits of human cor- 
 ruption which attended and marred revivals of religion cen- 
 turies ago ; and which have appeared every few years since, 
 in similar cnnnection, and with endless repetition. It is an 
 undoubted fact, that most of those well meant irregularities, 
 on which some truly pious people now look with approba- 
 tion and interest, as means pre-eminently adapted for pro- 
 moting religion, have been confidently proposed, tried, found 
 in the end to work badly, and exploded, over and over again; 
 — and yet there are those who still dream that they can be 
 made to accomplish what all experience has pronounced to 
 be impossible.
 
 320 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 "The secorwi remark which I would make, as the result 
 of the whole, is, that as we may confidently take for granted 
 that enlightened and stable Christians will not be shaken, 
 either in their faith or hope, by the occasional and even promi- 
 nent exhibition of these disorders in connection with revi- 
 vals of religion ; so it is important to put inquirers on their 
 guard against ' stumbling at this stumbling stone.' Some, 
 when they see what claims to be religion, and even a genu- 
 ine and precious revival of religion, tarnished by manage- 
 ment, or extravagances which they cannot approve, are apt 
 hastily to conclude, that vital piety, and revivals of religion 
 are all a dream. I fear that this fatal delusion is often 
 adopted ; and cannot but also fear that the disorders which 
 often attend revivals frequently minister to it. But it is a 
 delusion. The very existence of counterfeits, shows that 
 there is true coin. In every department of affairs, temporal 
 or spiritual, in which men are called to act, they discover 
 their imperfection. The Bible teaches us to expect this. 
 And if we did not find it so, the Bible representation of 
 human nature would not be verified. When, therefore, any 
 are tempted to doubt the reality or the importance of what 
 are called by intelligent Christians, revivals of religion, be- 
 cause they have been often tarnished by unhappy admixtures 
 or accompaniments ; they adopt a conclusion which does as 
 little credit to their scriptural knowledge, and their historical 
 reading, as it does to their Christian experience. The work 
 of the Holy Spirit, in renovating and sanctifying the heart, 
 is the glory and hope of the Church. That there should be 
 seasons in which this work is made to appear with peculiar 
 lustre and power, so entirely falls in with all the works and 
 ways of God, that the only wonder is, that any one who 
 reads the New Testament, or looks abroad on the face of 
 Christian society, should cherish a remaining doubt. And
 
 NEW MEASURES. 321 
 
 although the Spirit is a divine Person, and all his influences 
 infinitely pure and holy ; yet, when we recollect that its sub- 
 jects are sinful men, who remain, after they become the sub- 
 jects of his power, but imperfectly sanctified ; and that those 
 who preside over the dispensation of the various means of 
 grace, are also sinful, fallible men ; — though we may mourn 
 and weep, we certainly cannot wonder, that marks — sad 
 marks of our weakness and fallibility should appear in our 
 most precious seasons, and in our holiest services. 
 
 *' The Zas^ remark with which I would trouble you, is, that 
 •we ought to guard against undertaking to condemn, as of 
 course lacking piety, those who favour some or all of the 
 disorders to which reference has been made. We have seen 
 that one of the characteristics which seldom fail to mark 
 those brethren, is a disposition to anathematize as unfaithful 
 or graceless, all who cannot adopt their views, and pursue 
 their plans. It is important that we guard against imitating 
 this unworthy example. While we avoid, with sacred care, 
 all participation in their faults ; while we bear testimony 
 faithfully and openly against whatever we deem unfriendly 
 to the cause of genuine religion ; let us remember that some 
 zealous and active servants of Jesus Christ ; brethren whose 
 piety we cannot doubt, and whose usefulness we can have 
 no disposition to undervalue or abridge ; — have appeared, 
 for a time, as the patrons of these mistakes. Let us hon- 
 our their piety, rejoice in their usefulness, forgive their 
 mistakes, and pray that they may be brought to more cor- 
 rect views. 
 
 " That you and I, my dear friend, may have grace given 
 us to love and promote, with our whole hearts, genuine re- 
 vivals of religion, and to guard against every thing which 
 tends to impede or mar them ; and that we may speedily 
 enjoy the unspeakable pleasure of seeing the power of the 
 41
 
 322 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 Gospel in its choisest influences pervade our land, and the 
 world; — is the unfeigned prayer of your affectionate brother 
 in Christ. 
 
 " SAMUEL MILLER. 
 "Rev. W. B. Sprague, D. D. 
 
 " Princeton, March 8, 1832." 
 
 I have presented the foregoing extracts and letters on the 
 subject of New Measures, for several substantial reasons. 
 1. Because it is of the greatest importance that the true 
 character and results of the religious excitements produced 
 by such machinery should be better understood. 2. Because 
 the Methodists mainly rely on them for the propagation of 
 their Arminian religion and for the purpose of making pros- 
 elytes from orthodox churches. 3. Because, within the last 
 year or two, other than Methodist churches in this city have 
 adopted these measures and are now employing them, to the 
 ultimate injury, as we believe, of their true interests and to 
 the damage of the general cause of true Christianity. 4. In 
 order more effectually to vindicate ourselves against the 
 charge of hostility to genuine revivals of religion and to 
 justify more fully our steady and determined refusal to em- 
 ploy the same specious but really destructive apparatus. 
 And I have preferred to exhibit the opinions and experience 
 of the writers whom I have quoted, to show that some of 
 the wisest, most distinguished, pious and useful ministers in 
 our country are equally decided in their disapprobation of 
 such spurious excitements and the measures by which they 
 are effected. 
 
 But W'hile w^e cannot but disapprove of such popular com- 
 motions on the subject of religion, produced, not by the 
 Spirit of God, but by the contrivances and expedients of 
 men, we most sincerely and earnestly desire the promotion
 
 NEW MEASURES. 323 
 
 of true revivals, and the genuine conversion of our fellow 
 men. And in order to this, all orthodox Clnislians and 
 churches should be diligent in the use of God's appointed 
 means, and unceasing in their prayers for the quickenins, 
 sar.ciifying, enlightening and renewing inlluence of the 
 Holy Spirit. It would, indeed, be far happier, if Christ- 
 ians were so to cultivate the graces of the Spirit, and per- 
 petually and increasingly abound in every good word and 
 work, as never to need what are called revivals, and which 
 commonly imply the necessity of their resuscitation from a 
 criminal, shameful and unspeakably injurious state of relig- 
 ious declension, apathy and unfruitfulness. And every 
 Christian church should aim at maintaining such a steady, 
 habitual, and growing state of usefulness and piety. But 
 when individual Christians or churches have fallen into a 
 condition of supineness or spiritual indifference — when their 
 Christian graces have become languid and comparatively 
 dead — when formalism takes the place of spiritual and hearty 
 devotion — and the means of grace cease to edify the people 
 of God, or to effect, instrumentally, the conversion of sin- 
 ners, — then, surely, there is need — most urgent need, for a 
 real revival of religion ; and both pastor and people should 
 labour and pray with unceasing zeal until it is obtained. In 
 such an extremity, however, let them not seek to be wiser 
 than God ; or dare to add to all their other sins, the enor- 
 mous crime of contemning the ordinances and means of His 
 appointing. Rather let them confess their past remissness ; 
 and begin, with all diligence, humility, penitence and prayer, 
 to use them in accordance with the will of their Master in 
 heaven. And if they will thus employ them, perseveringly, 
 they will assuredly find that they have lost none of their di- 
 vine efficacy or power — that they are still sufficient, with the 
 blessing of God, to re-animate, strengthen, comfort and ed-
 
 324 NEW MEASUKES. 
 
 ify believers ; and that they are still mighty, through God, to 
 the illumination, conviction and saving conversion of sin- 
 ners. 
 
 The truth is, orthodox Christians do not do justice either 
 to themselves or to the cause they have espoused ; and hence 
 the contempt into which the scriptural means of grace some- 
 times fall. These means are used often with such compar- 
 ative apathy and inactivity — with so little of the spirit of 
 true devotion and Christian zeal — and are accompanied with 
 so little prayer and active personal efforts for the conversion 
 of souls, that it is no wonder they should be regarded by 
 many as inefficient or inadequate. How seldom, for exam- 
 ple, do orthodox Christians manifest a tithe of the activity 
 and zeal with which enthusiasts and fanatics ply, from day 
 to day and from week to week, their various human expe- 
 dients and contrivances ! How seldom do orthodox Christ- 
 ians manifest as much zeal in endeavouring to bring their 
 neighbours to hear the truth expounded and enforced, as 
 many others do in persuading them to hear the truth per- 
 verted, caricatured and maligned 1 How seldom do they 
 make as earnest efforts to persuade their friends and acquaint- 
 ances to come to Christ, as some others do to get them to 
 go up to the " altar" or " anxious seat!" And if orthodox 
 Christians will continue thus to slight the means of grace 
 which God has wisely and graciously appointed — if they 
 will thus persist in perverting and abusing them, they need 
 not wonder that their souls are unedified and sinners uncon- 
 verted : — only let them not ascribe these results to any 
 imaginary imperfection or inefficiency in the means them- 
 selves, but to their own negligence and wickedness and 
 folly : — let them at once confess and bewail their sins, and 
 begin to use the means ordained of God in the right spirit, 
 with becoming interest, unceasing activity, importunate
 
 NEW MEASURES 325 
 
 prayer, and steady perseverance, and they will soon realize 
 in themselves, and observe in others around them, the hap- 
 piest results. Is not this our duty ? Do we not owe it to 
 God — to ourselves — to the souls of others — to the precious 
 cause of truth and scriptural holiness ? O, my brethren, let 
 us not give occasion to any, by our negligence, apathy, and 
 want of enlightened zeal, to undervalue the power of Divine 
 truth or the efficacy of God's appointed means of grace! 
 We profess to be the friends of true revivals of religion, let 
 us then show, by our conduct, that we do earnestly pray and 
 labour for their promotion. We profess to believe that the 
 ordinary means of grace are, with God's blessing, abundant- 
 ly sufficient for every emergency, let us then evince our sin- 
 cerity, by practically using and employing them for our own 
 spiritual profit and the salvation of the souls of others. 
 Thus shall we not only experience, and accomplish, by the 
 favour of God, the greatest possible amount of real good, 
 but also most effectually show unto our beloved but erring 
 brethren "a more excellent way." 
 
 The observations just made, I would especially commend 
 to the beloved people of my charge. You know that they 
 are in exact accordance with the instructions of my whole 
 pastoral life. I have always endeavoured to guard you 
 against ybrmaZwm, as well as against Janaticism — and I again 
 protest against the necessity of being frozen to death, be- 
 cause we are averse to being burnt to death. I abhor a mere 
 formal and heartless service ; and insist upon the necessity 
 of spirituality and zeal in religion. It does not follow, that 
 because we are opposed to spurious excitements, we are, 
 therefore, opposed to genuine revivals of religion. It does 
 not follow, that because we are hostile to the use of certain 
 measures of man's devising, that therefore we are opposed to 
 the use of any means at all for the promotion of true religion,.
 
 326 NEW MEASURES. 
 
 or friendly to the negligent or formal use of such as God has 
 ordained. By no means: — It is, by the grace of God, our 
 earnest desire, as it has been our constant aim, to guard your 
 souls agiinst pyc/y hurtful error and evil practice; and to cul- 
 tivate within you a steady and healthful principle of spirit- 
 ual life. 1 am aware that soiue, either from culpable igno- 
 rance, or selfish sectarian purposes, have endeavoured to 
 disparage your Christian character, as they do in fact that of 
 every church not of their communion. But without saying 
 whr.t might in truth be said in commendation of you as a 
 body, let me rather exhort you, beloved, to continue, by the 
 help of God, not to deserve such unjust and uncharitable 
 detraction. Yea, remember, that whatever attainments you 
 may have made, and however useful you may have been, 
 there is, undoubtedly, room for further improvement and 
 increased exertion in behalf of sinners yet unconverted in 
 your midst. I entreat you, by the love of Christ, to increase 
 your diligence in the use of God's appointed means of grace 
 and to abound yet more and more in every good word and 
 work. And this I would have you do, not in the spirit of 
 unhallowed rivalry, or with an unsanctified and fanatical zeal, 
 but with all lowliness of mind, and from a sincere desire to 
 promote the glory of God in your own salvation and that of 
 others.
 
 cosrcLUsioz?. 
 
 In view of what has been said, in the foregoing pages, 
 respecting the polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is 
 it not obviously important that the attention of the public 
 should be more generally and seriously directed to its exam- 
 ination ? It is a perfect anomaly in our protestant and re- 
 publican country ; and is, in our conscientious and deliberate 
 judgment, dangerous in its tendency to the interests of civil 
 and religious liberty. Other Christian denominations have 
 hitherto occupied themselves, almost exclusively, in defend- 
 ing their respective churches against the incessant and often 
 violent assaults of Methodists ; and, in consequence, the 
 system of Methodism itself, is comparatively but little un- 
 derstood by the community at large, and even by multitudes 
 within its own pale. The time has come, however, when 
 that ecclesiastical system must be more generally and tho- 
 roughly investigated and exposed. Their growing numbers 
 and wealth have served already, in part, to develope the 
 actual tendency of their aristocratical government ; and some 
 of them have begun to manifest such a degree of arrogance, 
 as must insure a more general and close examination of the 
 sources of their proud and domineering power. And although 
 in consequence of the piety and patriotism of many of their 
 clergy and laity, the evil tendency of their ecclesiastical sys- 
 tem has been, as yet, but partially developed, there is much 
 reason to fear that its deteriorating, corrupting, and destruc- 
 tive influence will increasingly operate, to the imminent haz- 
 ard, eventually, not only of spiritual piety, but also of civil
 
 328 CONCLUSION. 
 
 or political freedom. It is therefore the duty of every Christ- 
 ian and patriot in the land — and especially of the leading 
 politicians and statesmen of our country — to turn their at- 
 tention seriously to this subject. Lei them remember the 
 inseparable connexion between religious and civil liberty, 
 and recall the mournful lessons of the ages that are past, 
 and they will at once perceive the dangerous tendency of 
 aristocratic Methodism. Let them examine their Book of 
 Discipline for themselves, and say whether the despotic 
 principles of ecclesiastical government, adopted by the clergy 
 of that sect, and imposed upon that people, are not utterly 
 irreconcilable with the character of our free political Con- 
 stitution and Government, and incompatible with the genius 
 of our republican institutions ? Let them answer, after due 
 examination, whether such a degree of irresponsible and des- 
 potic power as is possessed by the Methodist clergy, connect- 
 ed as it is with the control of so much and rapidly accumu- 
 lating wealth, is not highly dangerous, in its legitimate ten- 
 dency and probable ultimate results, to the civil and relig- 
 ious liberty of these United States ? Let them particular- 
 ly observe, the manner in which the Methodist clergy are 
 trained, and the surveillance which they have assumed over 
 each individual member connected with their church ; and 
 judge what such a system is adapted to effect, in the hands 
 of some such ambitious spirits as have arisen in different 
 ages that are past. To show how well adapted this system 
 is to accomplish the evil purposes of ambition and tyranny, 
 under the direction and control of wicked and designing 
 men, such as have often acquired the ascendency during the 
 past ages of the church, I will subjoin the following extracts 
 from the series of articles, (referred to in a former part of 
 this work,) on the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the Chris- 
 tian Intelligencer of New York. —
 
 CONCLUSION. 329 
 
 " Tke manner of entering the ministry and of ascending 
 into the Episcopal Chair. 
 
 " We may trace, in thought, a minister of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church through the successive stages of his ad- 
 vancement, from his reception into the society, to his invest- 
 iture with Episcopal authority. He becomes a member of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church by joining a class. He 
 attends class-meetings and love-feasts, quarterly-meetings 
 and camp-meetings, watch-nights and prayer-meetings, and 
 sings, and prays, and shouts, and while others ' fall from 
 grace' he perseveres, and his fervency attracts the notice of 
 the preacher in charge. The preacher makes him a class- 
 leader ; he is placed to watch over souls, to instruct and re- 
 prove ; in the Quarterly Conference, and on other occasions, 
 he comes in contact with superior authorities. Thus his 
 fidelity, his zeal, his devotedness to the doctrines and dis- 
 cipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church are put to the test. 
 The preacher next gives him license to officiate as an exhort- 
 er; and he tries his talents at public speaking. By and by, he 
 obtains the recommendation of the Quarterly Meeting Con- 
 ference, and presents himself for a preacher's license to the 
 District Conference. In time, he procures a recommendation 
 to the Annual Conference to be received on trial in the trav- 
 elling connexion. Here he passes a probation of two years ; 
 and is then received as a preacher in full connexion, a con- 
 stituent part of the great itinerant aristocracy. 
 
 " Up to this period, he has been undergoing a preparatory 
 discipline, admirably fitted to secure from him a complete 
 and absolute devotion to the corps. — At any time previous 
 to his being received into full connexion, his progress might 
 have been arrested on the least indication of an insubordin- 
 ate or revolutionizing spirit. Any symptom of a disposition 
 discordant with the genius of Methodist Episcopacy might 
 42
 
 330 CONCLUSION, 
 
 have sufficed to warn the preacher who had made him a class- 
 leader, not to encourage his farther promotion ; or it might 
 have warned the district conference which had licensed him 
 to preach, and the quarterly conference which had known 
 all his manner of life, not to put him forward for the itiner- 
 ating service. And while passing through his two years' 
 trial for admission into full connexion, any untoward indica- 
 tion of character, might have stopped him there ; for from 
 the beginning the following information was given to him. 
 ' Observe ! taking on trial is entirely different from admitting 
 a preacher into full connection. One on trial may be either 
 admitted or rejected, without doing him any wrong : — oth- 
 erwise it would be no trial at all. Let every one that has 
 the charge of a circuit explain this to those who are on trial.' 
 Doct. and Dis. of M. E. Ch., chap. L, sec. 8, ed. of 1828. 
 By going through so long and so strict an apprenticeship, he 
 is trained as well as tested ; he gets thoroughly imbued with 
 the spirit of the corps ; the interests of Methodist Episco- 
 pacy become identified with his own ; the idea of being one 
 of the number who govern a large body of people, turning 
 them to what point they please, is blended with every other 
 image in his mind ; and he learns to feel that it is no small 
 thing to participate in the power, which sways all the inter- 
 ests of this great and united denomination. 
 
 " Even at the point of elevation to which we have now 
 traced him, he cannot cease to remember that his power per- 
 tains to him, not as an individual, but as an unit in a mighty 
 combination ; and that though while he acts with that com- 
 bination he can do much, yet if he acts against it or with- 
 out it, he can do nothing. He cannot but be conscious that 
 any disposition towards independence, — any thing that looks 
 like democracy, any thing that excites suspicion on the part 
 of conference, or bishop, or presiding elder, may easily make
 
 CONCLUSION. 331 
 
 his situation so uncomfortable and so hopeless of progress, 
 that he will be glad to forsake it and locate. But after so 
 long a probation, it is difficult to believe that he can need the 
 pressure of such motives to keep him in his place ; he has 
 the genuine spirit ; he is wholly a friend to Methodist Epis- 
 copacy. He passes safely through the successive ordina- 
 tions by which he is made deacon and elder ; he sits in the 
 conferences annual and general; he wins the favour of his 
 bishop. He rises to the power of a presiding elder; he 
 watches over a district; he inspects and directs the proceed- 
 ings of preachers and societies or classes ; he presides, per- 
 haps, in an annual conference. In the end, perhaps, he 
 rises to a bishop's chair ; and though he wears no mitre and 
 no robes of greatness ; and though the dignitaries of some 
 other churches may smile at his lack of external splendour, 
 and may despise him for the ' bend sinisters' in his Episco- 
 pal escutcheon ; he wields an actual and effective power 
 which many a right reverend prelate, glorying in the unin- 
 terrupted succession of his official genealogy, might be 
 strongly tempted to envy. — Christ. Spec.., num. III. — DocL 
 andDiscip. of Meth. Ch., ed. 1828, chap. /., sees. 4, 5, 6, 
 7, 8, 9. 
 
 " What powerful worldly motives are presented to young 
 men of talents to enter the Methodist Episcopal Church? 
 With but few exceptions those who enter the ministry in 
 that denomination, so far from making their pecuniary situa- 
 tion worse, or increasing their hardships, better their condi- 
 tions, and enter into a circle which they had not access to 
 before, nor never would have had, but for their ministerial 
 character. These considerations being superadded to the 
 overgrown power held by the travelling preachers, present 
 strong temptations to aspiring young men to enter the min- 
 istry in that sect, and to enter it too, from other motives than
 
 832 CONCLUSION. 
 
 ■winning souls to Jesus Christ. We may therefore ask, what 
 kind of moral policy can be expected from such a ministry 
 with such power, when interest shall be involved ? 
 " Classes and Class-Leaders. 
 " ' There are about twelve persons in a class.' — ' There is 
 only one condition previously required of those who desire 
 admission into these societies, a desire to flee from the wrath 
 to come !' The first six months after a convert has joined a 
 class, are generally considered as so many months of proba- 
 tion in order to full membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. — During that term he is frequently interrogated by 
 his leader in class-meetings respecting the state of his soul; 
 and frequent inquiry is made by his leader concerning his 
 walk and conversation. If it appears at the end of his 
 probationary term that his conduct has been moral, and that 
 he has regularly attended religious meetings, and, if, in the 
 opinion of his leader he is pious, the travelling preacher en- 
 rols his name with the names of such as are members in 
 full connexion. — As far as w^e can ascertain, no pains are 
 taken by the itinerant preachers to instruct the members of a 
 class in the government of the church. It is presumed that 
 not more than one person in a hundred who unite with the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church are acquainted, at the time of 
 their reception into it, with its peculiar form of government. 
 The consequence is that many persons, after having enjoyed 
 membership for years, on discovering the nature of the gov- 
 ernment under which they have lived, become dissatisfied 
 with it, and leave the denomination. The fact, that they 
 have no representation in the Annual and General Conferenc- 
 es, and consequently no voice in making the laws, rules and 
 regulations which are binding on all the members, is disgust- 
 ing to their minds. Though they are asked and required to 
 contribute of their substance for the support of the itinerancy.
 
 CONCLUSION. 333 
 
 yet they are not suffered to have a representation in the law- 
 making department of the denomination. The principle 
 here involved is the same that sundered the United States 
 of America from the government of Great Britain. Taxa- 
 tion, without representation in the government from which 
 taxation emanated, kindled the indignation of our fathers 
 against the government of George III., and caused them to 
 draw their swords ; and they saw their country free and in- 
 dependent, before their swords were sheathed. Is tyranny 
 less odious in ecclesiastical than in civil matters ? 
 
 " The duty of a class-leader is ' to see each person in his 
 class once a week at least ; in order to inquire how their 
 souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as 
 occasion may require ; and to receive what they are willing 
 to give, towards the relief of the preachers, church, and 
 poor.' Class-leaders are also required ' to meet the minis- 
 ters and the stewards of the society once a week ; in order 
 to inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that 
 walk disorderly, and will not be reproved ; and to pay the 
 stewards what they have received of their several classes in 
 the week preceeding.' It is made their duty ' at every other 
 meeting of the class in every place' to admit no stranger. 
 ' At other times they may; but the same person not above 
 twice or thrice.' A strict examination of each class-leader, 
 by a travelling preacher, is to take place ' at least once a 
 quarter' ' concerning his method of meeting a class.' It is 
 made the duty of class-leaders to ' converse with those who 
 have charge of their circuits,' namely the travelling preach- 
 ers, ' frequently and freely.' It is also expected that they 
 shall ' frequently meet each other's classes ;' and * the most 
 useful' are enjoined to ' meet the other classes as often as 
 possible.'— Doci. and Dis. of M. E. Ch., chap. 11, sees. 1, 
 2, 4, ed. of 1828.
 
 334 CONCLUSION. 
 
 " Such inquisitorial measures are admirably calculated to 
 secure subordination in all the classes, and amongst all the 
 leaders. There is nothing like them in all the churches that 
 are called Christian, if" we except one sect, which it is need- 
 less to name." 
 
 In view of the arislocratical principles of church govern- 
 ment, adopted by the itinerant clergy of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church — and the peculiar measures employed for the 
 training of their ministerial candidates, and for the subordin- 
 ation of their people, — I ask again, — Is there no danger to 
 be apprehended to the civil and religious liberties of this 
 Republic? They are, as a denomination, rapidly increasing 
 in numbers, wealth, and general influence ; — what may not 
 a corrupted and ambitious clergy accomplish, at some future 
 period, with such a system of ecclesiastical despotism? — 
 wielded, be it remembered, exclusively and irresponsibly by 
 themselves ! 
 
 In thus calling the attention of the public to the polity of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, I have no desire to excite 
 undue suspicion against the present clergy of that denomi- 
 nation. I have no doubt but that, as yet, the great body of 
 them are both pious and patrioticj and sincerely attached to 
 the republican government and institutions of the country — 
 nor would they knowingly favour any thing inimical to civil 
 and religious liberty. But the ecclesiastical system which 
 they have adopted, and the policy which they have pursued, 
 are unquestionably adapted to corrupt, in the progress of 
 time, any body of men in the world. They are not a whit 
 more intelligent or pious than the clergy of former times, 
 who adopted, from equally honest, though mistaken views 
 of duty, substantially the same aristocratical and worldly 
 policy — and like causes will produce like effects, every where 
 and to the end of time. The very facts, that they have from
 
 CONCLUSION. 335 
 
 time to time increased their ecclesiastical power, and adopt- 
 ed such a worldly policy, are proofs that they are far from 
 being above the reach of ambition, pride and avarice — and 
 if we are to believe the testimony of those who know them 
 best, and have known them long, there has been a visible 
 deterioration in the character and spirit of many of them 
 already. And whatever may be the piety and patriotism of 
 the great mass of the present itinerant Methodist preachers, 
 who have been chiefly employed in laying the foundation of 
 the system, there is reason to fear that, as the effects of the 
 system are developed, they, or their successors, will mani- 
 fest less and less of the spirit of true religion, and more and 
 more of the unhallowed spirit of the world. It is chiefly in 
 view of this legitimate tendency of the system of aristocratic 
 Methodism, that we think the public generally, and particu- 
 larly the leading statesmen of our country, should turn their 
 serious attention to this subject : — and if convinced, by an 
 impartial examination, that its tendency is inimical to repub- 
 licanism in the state, it will then be their duty to warn their 
 countrymen against its insidious influence ; and to persuade 
 their fellow citizens, composing the laity of that denomina- 
 tion, to insist upon a reformation which shall conform their 
 ecclesiastical system to the genius and spirit of our civil 
 institutions. 
 
 If we are asked, what concern we have in these matters? 
 — we answer, that we have, as Christians, many interests in 
 common — and, as fellow-citizens, our political destinies are 
 bound up together. It deeply concerns us, as members of 
 the Church Catholic, that any portion of our Master's King- 
 dom should be deprived of its just and unalienable rights ; 
 — and, as patriots, we honestly fear the prevalence of despot- 
 ism in the Church, as inimical to the perpetuation of liberty 
 in the state. We know too well what were the disastrous
 
 336 CONCLUSION. 
 
 results of similar ecclesiastical principles in the early ages of 
 Christianity ; and we have no confidence that the same tree 
 planted now and in this hemisphere will produce any better 
 fruits. It is, therefore, both our duty and interest to endeav- 
 our to avert, if possible, prospective evils, in which we, as 
 well as our Methodist brethren, may be unhappily involved. 
 — Can one member of the body of Christ suffer, and not the 
 whole? Can the civil and religious liberties of our common 
 country be impaired, without affecting injuriously the rights 
 and privileges of all ? 
 
 It is a matter of surprise, as well as deep regret, that the 
 clergy of the Methodist Episcopal Church should ever have 
 adopted so anti-republican a system of church government 
 and discipline ; and that they should still continue to deprive 
 their people of the right of lay-representation. There are, 
 doubtless, many truly pious and patriotic men among them ; 
 let such be induced to re-examine the fundamental princi- 
 ples of their ecclesiastical system, and inform themselves 
 more fully of the effects of similar principles in ancient times 
 — and resolve, as Christian ministers and consistent patriots, 
 to seek a thorough reformation in the aristocratic government 
 of their church. Why should you continue to adhere to 
 principles w^hich have produced, in other times, consequences 
 so disastrous to the church and the world ? Why should you 
 again put to hazard the sacred ark of civil and religious free- 
 dom ? — and that, too, in a land consecrated to political and 
 religious liberty ! Why should you be unwilling to grant 
 your people the rights and privileges that are exercised and 
 enjoyed by all their brethren of other sister protestant de- 
 nominations in the land? If you never mean to abuse your 
 clerical power — if you have no design to tyrannize over the 
 heritage of God — if it is your purpose to do no wrong to 
 your lay brethren, why exclude the laity from all participation
 
 CONCLUSION. 337 
 
 in the legislation of the church ! It seems to us, that the 
 Methodist clergy owe it to themselves, as well as to their 
 people, to grant the laity at least a voice in the making of 
 those laws and the adoption of those disciplinary rules and 
 regulations, to which they are amenable, and by which they 
 are ecclesiastically governed. Let not the excellent men 
 among the Methodist clergy whom we now more particularly 
 address, repel this appeal to their piety and patriotism from 
 any unworthy prejudice. It is the part of wisdom to be 
 willing to be taught even by an enemy — how much more to 
 heed the admonitions of a friend — and he who makes this 
 appeal assures you, that he is actuated, if he knows his own 
 heart, by no other feelings than such as are perfectly conso- 
 nant with Christian affection and a sincere regard for those 
 interests which are alike common to us all as Christians and 
 men. You may be skeptical as to the alleged injurious ten- 
 dency of your present ecclesiastical system, and perhaps 
 may smile at the ultimate results predicted ; — but remember 
 that the early advocates of prelacy, and the ancient abettors 
 of clerical aristocracy, were equally blind to the remote but 
 certain consequences of the principles which they had adopt- 
 ed and were then favouring. Doubtless, had the Christian 
 pastors of the third and fourth centuries foreseen the ultimate 
 results of the then increasing ambition and power of the 
 clergy — had they been able to descry the horrible corrup- 
 tions and terrible tyranny of subsequent ages — had they per- 
 ceived that they were in fact laying the foundation of that 
 awful apostacy — the papacy — they would not only have 
 shrunk back from it with horror, but they would have zeal- 
 ously uprooted every thing like clerical aristocracy and pre- 
 latical usurpation ! 
 
 May we not make an appeal, also, to the pious and patri- 
 otic among the laity of the Methodist Episcopal Church ? 
 43
 
 338 CONCLUSION. 
 
 If we are surprised that the clergy of your church should 
 have adopted such an aristocratical system of church gov- 
 ernment, we are much more astonished, that the laymen of 
 your denomination, should for so long a time have tamely 
 submitted to it ! Have you ever seriously and thoroughly 
 examined it ? Have you ever reflected upon the corrupting 
 influence of irresponsible power? Have you ever pondered 
 upon the effiects of the same principles of clerical aristocracy 
 in ancient times, or thought of the probable results of the 
 same system upon your own clergy or their successors here- 
 after ? Why should you allow yourselves to be disfranchis- 
 ed and unjustly deprived of the right of representation ? In 
 these respects you stand entirely alone in this free protestant 
 country — the Papists only excepted — as all other Protestant 
 denominations enjoy these unalienable rights and inestimable 
 privileges. In politics, you are as good republicans as your 
 neighbours, and would resist political despotism as patriot- 
 ically and as manfully as any. Why, then, -should you tame- 
 ly submit to ecclesiastical tyranny ? Why should you allow 
 your clergy to assume, exclusively, all power, legislative, 
 judicial, and executive, without control or responsibility ? 
 Why should you submit to a purely clerical government, in 
 which you have no voice and no lay-representation ? Would 
 you allow any set of men to deprive you of the right of self- 
 government in your civil or political affairs ? Would you 
 intrust, to any set of men, the power of making and execut- 
 ing what laws they pleased, without responsibility to the 
 nation ? Why, then, we ask again, do you permit the cler- 
 gy of your church to retain exclusive and irresponsible power 
 in ecclesiastical affairs ? — to deprive you of the right and 
 privilege of self-government in the church ? Are you inca- 
 pable of governing yourselves in ecclesiastical matters? — of 
 taking any share in the government of your church ? Are
 
 CONCLUSION. 339 
 
 you less intelligent than any or all of your protestant breth- 
 ren of other denominations? Are you less virtuous? Why 
 should your clergy be afraid or unwilling to trust you with a 
 proper representation in the government of your church ? 
 Do they think you too ignorant ? — or too vicious? If neither 
 the one nor the other, why should they refuse you rights 
 which are enjoyed by every other protestant church in the 
 United States ? I aver that I ask these questions from no 
 disrespect — but for the purpose of eliciting thought — yea, 
 for the purpose of exciting your honest indignation ! You 
 are justly entitled to the right of representation, as protest- 
 ant Christians and freemen ; and should, respectfully, yet 
 firmly demand it. It is degrading to you to suffer yourselves 
 to be any longer deprived of rights which all your protest- 
 ant neighbours enjoy. Yea, your continued abject submis- 
 sion will, in all probability, prepare the way for the ultimate 
 slavery of your posterity, not only in the church, but also in 
 the state ! " No bishop, no king," was the shrewd remark 
 of a crafty prince : — and civil liberty cannot long co-exist 
 with ecclesiastical despotism. We grant, that the great body 
 of your ministers are, at present, good men, who would not 
 abuse their ecclesiastical power to the ruin of your political 
 freedom ; — but what security have you that their successors 
 will be equally pious and patriotic ? Why hazard, in any 
 degree, interests so momentous ! — " The price of liberty is 
 eternal vigilance ;" — and if you are wise and faithful to your 
 duty, both as Christians and republican citizens, you will 
 never rest, until your ecclesiastical rights are fully obtained 
 from your present aristocratical rulers. 
 
 I trust that what I have said, relative to the polity, &c. 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, will be rightly under- 
 stood. I have freely animadverted upon what I consider
 
 340 CONCLUSION. 
 
 the errors and faults of Episcopal Methodism ; and have 
 plainly exposed some of the practical evils v^rhich have re- 
 sulted from the practice of many connected with that de- 
 nomination ; — nor have I shunned to declare my honest 
 conviction in regard to the dangerous tendency of the irres- 
 ponsible power possessed by the clergy of that sect. But 
 I am very far from wishing to disparage, what is truly pious 
 and excellent in that Christian Church ; or to detract from 
 the real and extensive good which that denomination has, 
 under God, effected, and is still accomplishing. There are 
 many truly excellent men in the ministry of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, and thousands of truly pious Christians 
 connected with that communion ; — and I have no doubt, as 
 I have repeatedly said, that many of the improprieties and 
 excesses to which I have adverted, are not approved of or 
 countenanced by them. They hold, moreover, as a body, 
 the essential doctrines of our common Christianity — and 
 we therefore rejoice in recognizing them as a large and im- 
 portant branch of the church of Christ. And so far as the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church retains the truth as it is in Je- 
 sus — so far as she exhibits the spirit of our common Lord 
 and Master — so far as she is instrumental in winning souls 
 to Christ, and in extending the Redeemer's kingdom, so 
 far we give her the right hand of fellowship — pray for her 
 prosperity — and do, yea, and will rejoice in her success. 
 
 I have now discharged what has been to me no pleasant 
 task : — and having thus furnished the " proof," which was 
 publicly called for, and repeatedly insisted on, I will now 
 cheerfully submit the whole matter to the judgment ot the 
 public. The truth of the statements which I had made, has 
 been established by their own Book of Discipline, and by 
 historical and official documentary evidence which cannot
 
 CONCLUSION. 341 
 
 be disputed or invalidated. — And this evidence has been 
 corroborated by the testimony of several of the most com- 
 petent and unimpeachable witnesses of different Christian 
 denominations — and by several of the most distinguished 
 adhering ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, such 
 as Bishops Coke and McKendree,* and the Rev. H. B. 
 Bascom. The testimony of the Methodist " Reformer s^"*^ 
 is, in ray judgment, entitled to the highest respect ; — but, let 
 it be remembered, that each of the allegations which I had 
 made, has been fully proven by other testimony and proof: 
 — Indeed, the main points have been clearly demonstrated, 
 BY THE Book of Discipline itself. 
 
 " Last words " are sometimes almost endless : — and as I 
 still feel, as I always have felt, a strong repugnance to unne- 
 cessary controversy with any evangelical protestant church, 
 I will now request my readers — if what I have written 
 should be further controverted — to re-examine the proofs and 
 authorities which have been produced by me in substantia- 
 tion of the allegations which I had made. It will, I know, 
 be very easy to deny their truth, and not very difficult to 
 mystify the facts in the case ; but however bold the denial, 
 or plausible the explanation, the public, with the record 
 and evidence before them, will know how to discriminate 
 and determine. 
 
 *Mr. McKendree, is said to have " withdrawn," from the conference 
 in disgust, but only, as we suppose, on the particular occasion referred to, 
 and temporarily. For he continued to adhere to the Church, notwithstand- 
 ing his alleged denunciation of " the unwarrantable assumptions of the 
 conference," — and was subsequently made one of their Bishops. — Such 
 gross inconsistency shows the blinding influence of ambiiion, and serves 
 to illustrate the danger of absolute and irresponsible power; but it docs 
 not alter the truth, nor change the " tyrannical (or) despotic" nature of 
 that ecclesiastical government !
 
 342 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The original object in the preparation of this work will 
 at least be accomplished, viz: — the vindication of myself 
 against the charge, either of ignorant slander, or deliberate 
 traduction! ! — I cannot but believe, that even my Methodist 
 brethren, will now be " satisfied" that I had not spoken 
 without some " acquaintance" with their ecclesiastical sys- 
 tem ; and that the proofs and authorities which have been 
 exhibited are at least sufficient to shield me from the horri- 
 ble imputation of having deliberately borne " false witness 
 against my neighbour" ! ! ! — For the rest, I have very little 
 personal concern — and only regret that it should have been 
 made necessary forme to say as much as I have said, in self- 
 vindication and defence. 
 
 After a temperate and candid review, which is the un- 
 doubted right of my Methodist brethren, and to which, cer- 
 tainly, I have not the slightest objection, — if they also are 
 so disposed, we may live together in peace: — and if we cannot 
 promote each other's welfare, we can at least abstain from 
 all attempts to hinder each other's success. We differ, it 
 is true, upon some important points ; but then, let us " agree 
 to differ ;" or, if we must expose what we conscientiously 
 consider erroneous in each other's views and practices, let it 
 be done in the spirit of the Master. We worship one Lord 
 — acknowledge one rule of faith — and hold in common the 
 great essentials of the Gospel. We have, as sister churches, 
 the same great objects in view — and have in common the 
 same enemies. — Let us then cease our warfare upon each 
 other ; and employ our combined strength against our com- 
 mon foes ! 
 
 Finally, I would say to all Presbyterians — and particularly 
 to the members of my own pastoral charge — cultivate, as far 
 as possible, a catholic spirit towards all evangelical protest-
 
 CONCLUSION. 343 
 
 ant denoininations ; and, at the same time, an intelligent 
 and firm attachment to your own. Never be the aggressors : 
 — but when assailed, defend the faith of your fathers with a 
 meek but resolute spirit. " To preserve peace, be prepared 
 for war." Study more thoroughly the doctrines and order 
 of your own church ; and inform yourselves more fully re- 
 specting the principles and practices of other sects. Be 
 always ready to give the reason of the hope that is in you ; 
 and to show, why you adhere to your own scriptural stand- 
 ards and liberal form of government and discipline. If, 
 unhappily, your Methodist brethren should still continue to 
 misrepresent, caricature and malign your faith, be ready to 
 meet them, with the Word of God, in vindication of the 
 truth. If they should still continue their sectarian efforts to 
 proselyte you to their church, let them know, at once, that 
 you understand their selfish object — and that you are too 
 well acquainted with their Arminian errors, and anti-repub- 
 lican government, to be seduced, by them, from the pure 
 faith and Christian liberty of the gospel you profess. And 
 if they should still persist in disparaging your Christian 
 character, or the reputation of the ministry and church to 
 which you belong, show the injustice of such traduction, by 
 your holy lives and conversation. Yea, let even the secta- 
 rian zeal of others, only provoke you to love and good works. 
 Be more faithful, active, and prayerful ; and the God of your 
 fathers will still continue, in spite of all opposition, to pre- 
 serve, defend, and prosper you. — " But we are bound to give 
 thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, 
 because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salva- 
 tion, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the 
 truth : whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the ob- 
 taining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
 
 344 CONCLUSION. 
 
 brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye 
 have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now 
 our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, 
 which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consola- 
 tion and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, 
 
 AND establish YOl 
 
 2 Thess. ii. 13—17. 
 
 THE END .
 
 344 coNCi 
 
 brethren, stand fast, and h 
 have been taught, whether by \ 
 our Lord Jesus Christ himself, c 
 which hath loved us, and hath gi\ 
 tion and good hope through grace, Co 
 
 AND ESTABLISH YOU IN EVERY GOOD WOj 
 
 2 Thess. ii. 13—17. 
 
 THE END
 
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